Diarylpiperidines (8-12) may be prepared in good to excellent yields (80-99%) by the reaction of piperidones (3d-h) with benzene and the Bronsted superacid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (CF3SO3H, TfOH). Tropinone (6) and quinuclidone (7) also react in good yields with benzene in TfOH to give the condensation products (13 and 14). Ketal and acetal derivatives also give condensation products (8 and 24) upon reaction ...