Phenolphthalein and fluorescein can be considered as tautomoric mixtures of the lactone

(Ia) and (Ib) structures, but exist predominantly in the lactone form. Upon reaction with alkali or
methylation, it becomes a quinononoid structure (III) or (II) respectively. At low temperatures,
(≈400° C) an f-lactone group may be expected to decompose to a quinine. Studebaker et al³² are
strong supporters of the presence of lactones in the surface of carbon. They ascribed o aromatic
lactones a band that appears in the 1775 – 1675 cm-¹.

The presence of quinone groups on the surface of oxygen containing charcoals and
carbon blacks has been supported by several researchers. According to Studebaker et al³²
quinone – type oxygen accounts for approximately 25% of the oxygen present on the surface.

The existence of quinone groups is also supported by work of Garten and Weiss, 3 5 Puri3 6
and Bansal.3 7 They have observed that certain oxygen – containing carbons, which adsorbed no
alkali, could take up appreciable amounts of alkali after they had been reduced electrolytically or
by a current of hydrogen, respectively. This was attributed to the reduction of quinines into
hydroquinones.

Further evidence of the presence of quinone groups has been presented by Hallum and
3 8
Drushel in their infrared and polagraphic analysis. The evidence for the presence of simple
quinones, or quinone in association with phenols through hydrogen bonding, seems to be fairly
convincing.

The fact that activated carbons, as well as carbon blacks, could adsorb strong acids, such
as hydrochloric acid, has been known for a long time, but the structure of the so clled basic
oxides has not yet been elucidated entirely satisfactorily.

Garten and Weiss3 4 suggested the presence of chromene – like (benzpyran) structures to
account for the acid adsorption and production of hydrogen peroxide according to the following
equation :

The benzopyrylium derivatives, anthocyanidins, may be resented as reonace hydrids as

illustrated in equation 12, figure 7-5.
 Boehm an Voll39 do not agree with the chromene structure and have suggested that the
basic surface oxides may be best represented by pyronelike structures instead (Equation 13,
Figure 7-5). The two oxygen atoms in structures I and II will, in general, be located in two
different rings of a graphitic layer, the positive charge being stabilized by resonance.

Another mechanism has been presented by Rivin.4 0 the reaction of acids with carbons in
the presence of oxygen could be similar to that observed for the polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbon isoviolantherene (C3 4 H1 8) as illustrated in Equation 14, Figure 7-5.

In stong acid, this transformation apparently proceeds via the conjugate acid (ArH +) of
the hydrocarbon according to the following mechanism : 32