Silver film over nanospheres (AgFONs) were successfully employed as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates to characterize several artists' red dyes including: alizarin, purpurin, carminic acid, cochineal, and lac dye. Spectra were collected on sample volumes (1 x 10(-6) M or 15 ng/microL) similar to those that would be found in a museum setting and were found to be higher in res...

The title compounds were obtained by deprotonation of 1,2,4-tri-hydroxy-anthra-quinone (purpurin) using sodium hydride followed by reaction with either 1-bromo-propane or 1-bromo-butane. 1,4-Dihy-droxy-2-propoxyanthra-quinone crystallizes as a 1:1 solvate from aceto-nitrile, C17H14O5·CH3CN. The anthra-quinone core of the mol-ecule is essentially planar and both hy-droxy groups participate in in...