To obtain a quinone compound useful as a polymerization inhibitor, a stabilizer for unsaturated polyesters, an intermediate for medicines, agrochemicals, etc., in a high selectivity under mild conditions in a state not having a problem on safety and reaction rate by reacting an aromatic diol compound with a nitrite ester.

This method for producing a quinone compound (for example, tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone) comprises reacting (A) an aromatic diol compound (for example, tetrachlorohydroquinone) with (B) a nitrite ester (for example, butyl nitrite) preferably in an amount of 2-6 fold moles that of the component A, if necessary, in a reaction solvent such as methanol preferably in the presence of a reaction accelerator such as the group 8 element (for example, palladium) preferably at a reaction temperature of 10-50°C under the atmospheric pressure. The reaction accelerator is preferably used in an amount of 0.1-20 wt.% based on the component A.