A series of highly reactive cyclopentadienones were prepared in situ from the corresponding hydroxycyclopent-2-enones and trapped with a variety of quinones. Reaction of 1,4-naphthoquinone with 4-hydroxy-3,4-diphenyl-cyclopent-2-enone afforded 2,3-diphenylanthraquinone, whereas reaction of benzoquinone with this same cyclopentadienone precursor yielded a mixture of 6,7-diphenyl-1,4-naphthoquinone and 2,3,6,7-tetraphenyl anthraquinone. A number of other 2,3-diarylanthraquinones were likewise prepared in moderate yields from the reaction of 1,4-naphthoquinone with the appropriate 4-hydroxy-3,4-diarylcyclopent-2-enones. This method appears to be generally applicable to the synthesis of anthraquinone derivatives substituted at the 2- and 3-positions from inexpensive starting materials.Key words: anthraquinone, DielsAlder, cyclopentadienone, in situ.