Synthetic utility and mechanistic implications of the fries rearrangement of hydroquinone diesters in boron trifluoride complexes

Reactions of boron trifluoride methyl and ethyl etherate complexes with hyd roquinone diesters yield monomethyl and monoethyl derivatives of acetylhydr oquinones, The use of sterically hindered boron trifluoride etherate comple xes results in acetylhydroquinone derivatives. This procedure represents a one-step synthesis of acetylhydroquinone derivatives, important building bl ocks for a variety of synthetic applications.