Reagents for chemical development of latent fingerprints: Vicinal triketones - Their reaction with amino acids and with latent fingerprints on paper

Eleven vicinal triketones and one vicinal tetraketone were reacted with amino acids in solution and with latent fingerprints on paper. All cyclic triketones gave colored products with amino acids in solution and developed latent fingerprints on paper. The products' colors varied depending on the structure of the triketone. The potential of these compounds as fingerprint develops is discussed.