Latent fingerprint visualization by 1,2-indanedione and related compounds:Preliminary results

A number of vicinal cyclic diketones, most of them belonging to the 1,2-ind anedione series, have been prepared and tested as potential reagents for la tent fingerprint development. Unsubstituted 1,2-indanedione and a number of its mono- and dimethoxy- derivatives exhibited excellent properties as flu orogenic reagents for latent prints on paper. Structural modifications. suc h as substitutions at position 3, omission of the benzene ring or increase of the five-membered to a six-membered ring, considerably reduced this acti vity. Quits surprisingly, benzo[f]indane-1,2-dione, which was synthesized f or the first time in this work, was significantly inferior to 1,2-indanedio ne as a fingerprint reagent. Even at this stage, before optimization of the reaction conditions, it can be said that some 1,2-indanediones are ai least as sensitive as DFO. Their solubility in nonpolar solvents and relative ease of preparation are furthe r advantages. It is the authors' opinion that 1,2-indanedione itself may so on become a practical fingerprint reagent.