Diaryl disulfides undergo regioselective ring-opening of 1,2-epoxides in the presence of zinc powder and 3-4 mol-% of bismuth(III) trifluoroacetate or 1 mol-% of bismuth(III) triflate in molten tetrabutylphosphonium bromide (TBPB) to afford the corresponding β -hydroxy thioethers in good to excellent yields.