Iodine Catalysed Alkyloxylation of Naphthoquinones

Abstract
The 2-position of various naphthoquinone derivatives is exclusively alkyloxylated in good yields by aliphatic alcohols in the presence of Hg(II) chloride and iodine or Cu(II) acetate and iodine. Thus, various methyl ethers of naphthoquinones are obtained in a facile, single step reaction.