Convenient one-pot synthesis of 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-cyclopentanone

2,2-Bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-cyclopentanone (3a) was unexpectedly obtained in 76% yield from a reductive coupling reaction of 4,4'-dihydroxybenzophenone (1a) and cyclobutanone with TiCl4 and Zn. Further optimization showed that catechol as an external ligand and a hydroxy group on benzophenone facilitated the generation of a quinonemethide (intermediate II) that is involved in the pinacol-type rearrangement of intermediate I to give the rearranged product.