Efficient access to triarylmethanes through decarboxylation

Abstract

A new synthetic approach has been developed for efficient access to triarylmethanes by palladium catalyzed decarboxylative cross coupling reactions. The reaction features sp²–sp³ coupling where benzoic acids upon decarboxylation reacted with diaryl methyl iodides having both electron donating and withdrawing functionalities, leading to the synthesis of diverse triarylmethanes.