The synthesis of dihydroxy ketones such as 1 is usually accomplished by a sequence involving Friedel-Crafts acylation and hydrolysis.' This sequence works well in ... OH OH 1 many instances, but imposes certain restrictions on func- tionality that can be accomodated in both the acyl unit and the aromatic substrate. A direct and potentially general route to these dihydroxy ketones might be the photochemically mediated reaction between a quinone and an ...
