Evaluation of some oxygen, sulfur, and selenium substituted ninhydrin analogues, nitrophenylninhydrin and benzo[f]furoninhydrin

Six ninhydrin analogues containing oxygen, sulfur, and selenium substituents at the C-5 position, 5-(4-nitrophenyl)ninhydrin, and benzof]furoninhydrin were evaluated as fingerprint development reagents. The analogues all showed good fingerprint color development but were not superior to ninhydrin in this respect. The benzof]furoninhydrin complex was strongly luminescent at room temperature following zinc complexation, while the remaining analogues required cooling to -196 degrees C to produce optimum luminescence. The benzof]furo, nitrophenyl, and methyl selenide analogues showed the best potential as fingerprint reagents with the benzof]furo analogue comparing favorably with DFO.