Disproportionation reaction of diarylmethylisopropyl ethers: a versatile access to diarylmethanes from diarylcarbinols speeded up by the use of microwave irradiation
An efficient synthesis of diarylmethanes under classical thermal conditions and under microwave heating is described fromdiarylcarbinols via a new disproportionation reaction. The key step involves a selective hydride transfer of isopropyl ether intermediates. Mild reaction conditions i.e., catalytic CBr4 or TfOH in i-PrOH and good yields render this method useful and competitive to the conventional