Solar photoacylation of 1,4-naphthoquinone with 4-methoxybenzaldehyde to give (1,4-dihydroxynaphthalen-2-yl)(4’-methoxyphenyl) methanone is one representative example of a general procedure to prepare highly functionalized 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalen-2-yl)(phenyl) methanone derivatives. The structure of the title compound was confirmed by x-ray diffraction analysis of a suitable single crystal.