Palladium-catalysed synthesis of triaryl(heteroaryl)methanes

Tetraarylmethane derivatives are desirable for a variety of applications, but difficult to access with modern C–C bond-forming reactions. Here we report a straightforward method for palladium-catalysed arylation of aryl(heteroaryl)methanes and diaryl(heteroaryl)methanes with aryl chlorides. This reaction enables introduction of various aryl groups to construct triaryl(heteroaryl)methanes via a C–H functionalization in good to excellent yield, and represents the first step towards a general transition metal catalysed synthesis of tetraarylmethanes. Molecules with 4 aryl groups attached to a central carbon atom have proven challenging to synthesize despite their attractiveness for a variety of applications. Here the authors report a Pd-catalysed arylation of di- and triarylmethanes, giving a high-yielding route to an array of tetraarylmethanes.