This dissertation reports the preparation of several types of anthraquinones structurally related to adriamycin. It describes the synthesis of two types of 2-aminoquinizarin compounds. It also presents two new syntheses of a heterocyclic tetracyclic ring system, similar to the aglicone ring system of adriamycin. A series of 2-aminoquinizarins was prepared by adding several primary amines to quinizarin. Quinizarin was shown to be essentially inert toward secondary amines. Several secondary amine adducts with quinizarin have been prepared, however, by treating the bis-boroacetate ester of quinizarin with the amines. Both types of 2-aminoquinizarin compounds exhibit outstanding potential for possessing antineoplastic activity, and several have been submitted to the National Cancer Institute for testing in their screening program for antineoplastic agents.