1-BOC-2-lithio-1, 4-dihydropyridines were condensed with 3, 4-disubstituted cyclobutenediones to produce 1, 2-adducts. Neat thermolysis under oxygen-free conditions produced substituted 1, 4-dihydroquinoline hydroquinones in which the tert-butoxy residue of the BOC group was displaced by a phenolic residue, generating an oxazolone ring that functioned to protect both rings of the dihydroquinoline hydroquinone from untimely ...