The invention comprises the N-acetoacetyl derivative of 1-chloro-2-aminoanthraquinone, and the preparation thereof and of other acetoacetylaminoanthraquinones by heating aminoanthraquinones with diketene in the presence of 90-100 per cent (preferably glacial) acetic acid at 40-80 DEG C. (preferably 60-70 DEG C.). Examples describe the acetoacetylation of 1- and 2-aminoanthraquinone, 1- and 3-chloro-2-aminoanthraquinone and 1-amino - 5 - benzoylaminoanthraquinone, and the di-acetoacetylation of 1 : 5-diaminoanthraquinone. Additional starting materials specified are 1-amino-4-benzoylaminoanthraquinone, 1 - amino - 4 - phenylaminoanthraquinone and 1 : 4 - diaminoanthraquinone. Specification 429,982 is referred to.ALSO:The invention comprises N - acetoacetyl derivatives of 4-benzoylaminodiphenylamine, carbazole, 1-aminobenzene-4-sulphonic acid 21-thiazolylamide, and naphthosultam, and the preparation thereof and of other acetoacetyl-amino compounds by heating a primary or secondary aromatic amine, or a heterocyclic compound containing a secondary nitrogen atom in the heterocyclic nucleus, with diketene in the presence of 90-100 per cent (preferably glacial) acetic acid at 40-80 DEG C. (preferably 60-70 DEG C.). Examples describe the acetoacetylation of the four compounds specified above and of 1-aminobenzene-4-sulphonic acid morpholide and diphenylamine. Additional starting materials specified include benzidine naphthoquinone, 1-aminobenzene-4-sulphonic acid p-phenylanilide and dimethylamide, 4-aminodiphenylsulphone, and N-phenyl-1-and-2-naphthylamine. Specification 429,982 is referred to.