PURPOSE: To obtain the titled high-purity compound useful as an intermediate for a dye in a short time, by nitrating a specific anthraquinone derivative, and dehydrogenating and reducing the nitration product in the presence of a specific solvent.

CONSTITUTION: One or two or more types of compounds selected from the group consisting of 1,4,4a,9a-tetrahydroanthraquinone, 1,4-dihydroanthrahydroquinone and 1,4-dihydroanthraquinone are nitrated with nitric acid, and the nitro compounds are suspended in an aqueous solution of a reducing agent, e.g. Na2S. A specific solvent is added to the suspension, and dehydrogenation and reduction are carried out to give 2-aminoanthraquinone of high purity. An unsubstituted, alkyl-or halogen-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon or halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon is used as the solvent. The purification procedure carried out simultaneously with the reaction permits the omission of the purification step.