Gomberg's trityl (1-diphenylmethylene-4-trityl-2, 5-cyclohexadiene)(I) was isomerized by protonic acids such as HCl and phenol in benzene to form p-benzhydryltetraphenylmethane (II). p-(Benzhydryl-α-d)-tetraphenylmethane (III) was formed by the treatment of I with phenol- d. Ph 3 CH and Ph 3 CCl were treated under the same conditions, but II was not obtained. It was not formed either by the reaction of phenylazotriphenylmethane with phenol. This ...
