2-methoxyphenanthrenes were prepared by reaction of lithiated 2-bromostyrenes with quinone monoketals followed by acid-mediated cyclization of the resulting p-arylquinol kelals. Substitution at the bromostyrene side-chain or the quinone monoketal ring had only a modest effect on yields, but oxygen substitution on the bromostyrene aromatic nucleus resulted in a competing 1, 2-aryl migration arising during the quinol ketal cyclization step. ...