The discorhabdins are a family of chemically and biologically interesting natural products. Previous syntheses of these complex substances have all been very similar; this similarity is limiting to the flexibility of these approaches. We describe a general method which we believe can diverge to make any number of the natural products. This route is based on novel benzoquinone photochemistry followed by an annulation onto a quinone monoketal to give the core structure. This core can then be advanced appropriately to form the natural products.* *Please refer to dissertation for diagrams.