Nucleophilic attack of acetylide anions at the two carbonyl moieties of para-quinones readily affords the corresponding diols. Subsequent reduction with stannous chloride affords a number of useful compounds, including 1,4-bis[(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]benzene, 1,4-bis[(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]naphthalene and 9,10-bis[(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]anthracene. Sequential attack by different acetylide anions followed by reduction provides a useful route to differentially substituted compounds including 1-[(4-nonyloxyphenyl)ethynyl]-4-(phenylethynyl)benzene, a new luminescent liquid-crystalline material.