Disproportionation reaction of diarylmethylisopropyl ethers: a versatile access to diarylmethanes from diarylcarbinols speeded up by the use of microwave irradiation

Abstract An efficient synthesis of diarylmethanes under classical thermal conditions and under microwave heating is described from diarylcarbinols via a new disproportionation reaction. The key step involves a selective hydride transfer of isopropyl ether intermediates. Mild reaction conditions i.e., catalytic CBr 4 or TfOH in i -PrOH and good yields render this method useful and competitive to the conventional approaches relying on application of external reducing agents.