Abstract α, α-Diphenylbenzo [b] thien-2-ylmethanol was treated with a series of aryl bromides in the presence of palladium (II) acetate and tricyclohexylphosphane to give the appropriate 2-aryl-benzo [b] thiophenes in good to excellent yield with concomitant formation of benzophenone. The reaction wassuccessfully extended to α, α-diphenylbenzo [b] thien-3-ylmethanol, although in certain cases the transformation was biased by ...