Aerobic Dehydrogenative α‑Diarylation of Benzyl Ketones with Aromatics through Carbon–Carbon Bond Cleavage

Substituted benzyl ketones reacted with aromatics in the presence of K₂S₂O₈ in CF₃COOH at room temperature, yielding α-diaryl benzyl ketones through a carbon–carbon bond cleavage. In the reaction, two new carbon–carbon bonds were formed and one carbon–carbon bond was cleaved. It is very interesting that two different nucleophiles such as benzyl ketones and aromatics were coupled together without metal, which is unusual in organic synthesis