Benzylic Phosphates in Friedel–Crafts Reactions with Activated and Unactivated Arenes: Access to Polyarylated Alkanes

Easily reachable electron-poor/rich primary and secondary benzylic phosphates are suitably used as substrates for Friedel–Crafts benzylation reactions with only 1.2 equiv activated/deactivated arenes (no additional solvent) to access structurally and electronically diverse polyarylated alkanes with excellent yields and selectivities at room temperature. Specifically, diversely substituted di/triarylmethanes are generated within 2–30 min using this approach. A wide number of electron-poor polyarylated alkanes are easily accomplished through this route by just tuning the phosphates.