A double oxidation procedure for the preparation of halogen-substituted para-benzoquinone monoketals: asymmetric synthesis of (−)-harveynone

The double oxidation of halophenols with hypervalent iodine reagents in methanol provides a simple procedure to prepare halo-1,4-benzoquinone monoketals. Seven examples of this procedure are reported as is the conversion of 3-iodo-4,4-dimethoxycyclohexa-2,5-dienone into the natural product, (−)-harveynone.