Naphthoquinone is a class of organic compounds derived from naphthalene. Three isomers are normally discussed:
Naphthoquinones are also a class of natural phenolic compounds formed on a C6-C4 skeleton.
Naphthoquinone can be used for the full synthesis of opiates (Gates synthesis), but it is a tedious and uneconomical process. Therefore, most of the opiate-type analgesics in use today are either directly extracted from Papaver somniferum or synthesized from the natural opiates, mainly from thebaine.
Diazonaphthoquinone is a diazo derivative of naphthoquinone.