Are quinone methides responsible for yellowing of paper in light?

Irradiation of tetrahydrofuran solutions of quinone methide 1 at 350 nm resulted in the formation of yellow oligomeric products and guaiacol. The rate constants determined for the disappearance of the starting compound and those of guaiacol formation show that the primary reaction involves homolysis of the CO bond between the allylic carbon atom and the oxygen of the phenolic group.