Aerobic Dehydrogenative α‑Diarylation of Benzyl Ketones with Aromatics through Carbon–Carbon Bond Cleavage

Substituted
benzyl ketones reacted with aromatics in the presence
of K2S2O8 in CF3COOH at
room temperature, yielding α-diaryl benzyl ketones through a
carbon–carbon bond cleavage. In the reaction, two new carbon–carbon
bonds were formed and one carbon–carbon bond was cleaved. It
is very interesting that two different nucleophiles such as benzyl
ketones and aromatics were coupled together without metal, which is
unusual in organic synthesis.