As shown in Part I, synthesis of compound (I; R = OH) is a worthwhile objective which could not be reached from phenols (eg, 11) at a substantially lower state of oxidation. As far as the parent compound (I; R = H) is concerned, it therefore seemed necessary to obtain hydroxybenzocycloheptatrienes such as (IIIa or b) and to proceed therefrom by abstraction of two ... 8 J. A. Barltrop, A. W. Johnson, and G. D. Meakins, J . P. Ehrlich, EH Huntress, and E. Id. Schloss, jun., Org.