PURPOSE: To prepare the title compound, useful as an intermediate of medicines, and a photo-sensitive material, by reacting easily available p-benzoquinone or α- naphthoquinone with an alcohol in the presence of a cobalt-Schiff base complex as a non-toxic catalyst.

CONSTITUTION: The title compound is prepared by reacting p-benzoquinone or α- naphthoquinone with an alcohol ROH (R is CnH2n-1 or CnH2n-2; n is ≥1), in the presence of a cobalt-Schiff base complex as a catalyst, at a temperature between room temperature and the boiling point of the alcohol. The preferable catalyst is a compound of the formula (A is alkylene which may be deveded by N; the benzene ring may have other substitution groups), having oxygen-transfer capability, e.g. bis-(3-nitrosalicylaldehyde)-ethylenediimine Co(II). The amount of the catalyst is pref. 4W15% based on the p-benzoquinone.