Abstract
Depending on different reaction time and temperature employed, benzylation of 2,3-dichloronaphthazarin (I) using silver oxide as the catalyst can form either exclusively 5,8-dibenzyloxy-6,7-dichloronaphthalene-1,4-dione (II), or exclusively 5-benzyloxy-2,3-dichloro-8-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione (IV); or a mixture of II and 5,8-dibenzyloxy-2,3-dichloronaphthalene-1,4-dione (III). Structures of these compounds were identified by nmr analysis.