Synthesis of triarylmethanols via tandem arylation/oxiddation of diarylmethanes

A tandem arylation/oxidation of diarylmethanes for the convenient synthesis of unsymmetrical triarylmethanols bearing different aryl and heteroaryl groups is described. A Pd(OAc)(2)-NiXantphos catalyst system efficiently catalyzed arylation of weakly acidic sp(3)-hybridized C-H bonds of diarylmethanes with aryl bromides, and the arylation products were then oxidized in situ to carbinols by simply opening the reaction flasks to air. The triarylmethanol products were obtained in 35-98% yields. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.National Institutes of Health [NIGMS 104349]; China Scholarship Council [201306350151]SCI(E)PubMedARTICLEzfxi@pku.edu.cn; mapericas@iciq.es; pwalsh@sas.upenn.edu233604-36075