Isopropyl-substituted o -benzoquinones and oxanthrenequinones. Effect of steric shielding of alkyl substituents on reactivity

A synthetic procedure was developed for the preparation of sterically hindered di- and trisubstituted catechols and o -quinones by the reaction of catechol with isopropanol. Compared to sterically more hindered analogs, o -quinones bearing isopropyl substituents exhibit a higher reactivity toward the formation of oxanthrenequinone derivatives.