In order to understand the structural aspects of stabilization of hydroquinones and their ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), we designed and synthesized a series of 6-aryl-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoquinones. These compounds equilibrate with the corresponding 6-aryl-1,4-dihydroxybenzenes in an organic medium; a linear free energy relationship analysis gave ρ = +2.37, suggesting that this equilibrium was sensitive to electronic effects. The propensity of the compound to enolize appears to determine ROS-generating capability, thus offering scope for tunable ROS generation.