Cross-couplings between benzylic and aryl halides "on water": synthesis of diarylmethanes.

Christophe Duplais, Arkady Krasovskiy, Alina Wattenberg, Bruce H Lipshutz

Index: Chem. Commun. (Camb.) 46(4) , 562-4, (2010)

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Abstract

A remarkably simple entry to unsymmetrical diarylmethanes has been developed that relies on an in situ organozinc-mediated, palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling. Thus, by mixing a benzyl and aryl halide together in the presence of Zn metal and a Pd catalyst, diarylmethanes are formed at room temperature without assistance by a surfactant; hence, "on water".