described using triphenylmethanol in the presence of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (3 mol %) in dichloromethane at room temperature. The chemoselectivity of this protocol is demonstrated by studying the tritylation of a primary alcohol in the presence of a secondary alcohol and also the mildness of this catalyst was studied with substrates containing acid labile protecting groups.
During investigating water-compatible Lewis acids catalyzed etherifications using alcohols as alkylating reagents directly, we developed Fe(III)-catalyzed trityl benzyl ether formations irradiated by microwave. Then an in situ trityl benzyl ether formation and disproportionation cascade reaction was achieved to yield the benzaldehyde products with good functional group tolerances under neat conditions