Synthesis, structure and semiconductivity of a p-terphenoquinone

3,3′,5,5′-Tetra-tert-butyl-p-terphenoquinone 5, the first terphenoquinone, has been obtained as metallic blue–green crystals showing anisotropic semiconductivity; the crystal structure of 5 shows that the nearly-planar molecules form slipped stacks along the needle axis.