An effective 1,6-addition route for para-quinone methides (p-QMs) to synthesize bismuth-catalyzed substituted diarylmethanes was developed. The key feature of this transformation in our methodology is that the metallic bismuth complexes are inexpensive, untapped, overlooked, and reusable, making the reaction more sustainable. Moreover, this protocol provides facile access to a class of deviratives of diaryl and triarylmenthanes with good to excellent yields and good tolerance of the functional groups. A feasible and appealing solution is delivered by convenient work-up and mild reaction conditions.

Key words: p-QMs, bismuth-catalysis, 1,6-addition