To provide a method for producing high-purity bis(3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenyl) represented by formula (1) wherein X represents CH2 or CHCH3, at a high yield, which is an important compound as a raw material for producing a heat resistant polymer or the like.

The high-purity bis(3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenyl) is produced at a high yield by nitrating bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane or bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane with nitric acid in an acetonitrile solvent. The compound can easily be made to have high purity by its recrystallization using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone.