Catalytic Asymmetric Alkylation of Aryl Heteroaryl Ketones

Tertiary diarylmethanols are highly bioactive structural motifs. A new strategy to access chiral tertiary diarylmethanols through copper-catalyzed direct alkylation of (di)(hetero)aryl ketones by using Grignard reagents was developed. The low reactivity and the similarity of the enantiotopic faces of bis-aromatic ketones were partially overcome, which resulted in moderate to good yields and enantioselectivities.