Abstract A short and efficient approach for the total synthesis of two novel cytotoxic hydroquinones, lanneaquinol (1) and (R)-2′-hydroxylanneaquinol (2) isolated from the organic extract of the plant Lannea welwitschii, has been developed. Enantioselective organocatalytic McMillan hydroxylation has been successfully utilized for the creation of the stereogenic center bearing the OH group of (R)-2′-hydroxylanneaquinol (2). The ...