It is found by IR spectroscopy that 1-hydroxyalkylnaplitliazarins in aprotic organic solvents exist as a mixture of the 1,4- and 1,5-naphthoquinonoid tautomers.
A reaction of alkylnaphthazarines with bromine in tetrachloromethane was investigated. A preparative synthesis was developed for substituted 1'-bromoalkylnaphthazarines, and based on the substance 1'-hydroxyalkylnaphthazarines were prepared, analogs of shikalkin, a racemic mixture of plant pigments from Boraginaceae family. 2-Acyl-3-hydroxynaphthazarine was synthesized, a minor metabolite of urchin from genus Echinothrix.