The syntheses of racemic 1-fluoro-(4), 4-flUOrO-(5), and 1, 4-difluoro-4- demethoxydaunomycinone (6) as well as the (+) antipodes of the latter two compounds are reported. The synthetic route involved the annelation of a highly functionalized quinone monoketal with the appropriate cyanophthalide anion followed by deprotection. The cyanophthalides were obtained from the corresponding hydroxyphthalides, prepared by ...