Anthraquinones of the general formula I in which R denotes hydrogen or A denotes R denotes C1- to C8-alkyl, C7- to C20-phenylalkyl and R , R , R and R independently of one another denote hydrogen, C1- to C8-alkyl, C7- to C20-phenylalkyl, C1- to C8-alkoxy, C1- to C8-haloalkyl, nitro, cyano, halogen, amino, C1- to C8-alkylcarbonyl, benzoyl, N-C1- to C8-alkylphenylamino, C1- to C8-alkylsulphonyl, phenylsulphonyl, aminosulphonyl, aminocarbonyl and nitrobenzyl are prepared by reacting N-butadienylcarbamic acid esters of the general formula II in which R has the abovementioned meanings, a) for the case where A denotes with 1,4-naphthoquinones of the general formula III in which the substituents R to R have the abovementioned meanings, or b) for the case where A denotes with 1,4-benzoquinone at temperatures from 0 to 150@C, and then reacting the resultant carbamoylhydroanthraquinones in a tertiary amine with oxygen-containing gases in the presence of copper salts, and optionally treating the resultant carbamoylanthraquinones with hydroxide solutions at temperatures from 0 to 150@C.