simple preparation of 3-hydroxy-4-methoxytetraphenylmethane

Methods known for the preparation of 3-hydroxy-4-methoxytetraphenyl-methane la are indirect and lengthy. During our work on the reaction of alkyl phosphites with 4-triphenylmc-thyM,2-benzoquinone [II], we endeavoured the synthesis of [la] by the action of diazomethane on 3, 4-dihyd-roxytetraphenylmethane [Ib]