C. J. p. SPRUIT AND A. SPRUIT-VAN DER BURG 



121 



This brief summary may suffice to show that it is certainly possible 

 to prepare compounds with spectra duplicating those of the naph- 

 thoquinone derivatives. It is at the same time clear that in order to 

 obtain compounds with absorption bands more or less at the same 



270 



350 



430 



510 nyi 



Fig. 14. Alterations of the nucleus: 



— 5-hydroxybenzofuranquinone, 



5-hydroxythianaphthenequinone, .... 3,6-dimethyl-5-hydroxyselenanaphthene- 

 quinone. 



position as those in the inactivation spectrum, certain restrictions are 

 imposed as far as the nature of the nucleus is concerned. Its properties 

 should be close to those of naphthalene. The results of the investiga- 

 tions outlined above are therefore certainly not in disagreement with 

 the view that bacterial luciferin has a chemical structure which may 

 be symbolized as follows: 



