In connection with our study on lignan synthesis, based on the B-scission of alkoxyl radicals which are generated by photolysis of the hypoiodites prepared by treating the corresponding alcohols with mercury (II) oxide—iodine reagent, 1 it became necessary to investigate the reactivi-ties of the reagent toward aromatic compounds. Accord-ing to a survey of the literature, in 1908 Kauffmann and Fritz reported iodination of hydroquinone dimethyl ether ...