Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Triarylmethanes by Transition Metal Catalysis

Abstract

Triarylmethanes and related compounds are fascinating molecules because of their structural and physical properties, many potential applications in organic functional materials, and high biological activity. Recently, catalysis has provided new synthesis routes to triarylmethanes with high selectivity and diversity, including the possibility of preparing enantiomerically enriched derivatives, which is typically challenging using classical methods. This Perspective reviews recent advances in new synthesis approaches to triarylmethanes using well-defined transition metal catalysts. These methods will allow the development of new, unexplored triarylmethane structures.

Construction of Chiral Tri‐ and Tetra‐Arylmethanes Bearing Quaternary Carbon Centers: Copper‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Propargylation of Indoles with Propargylic Esters

“…The reactivity and enantioselectivity dramatically depend on the nature of the base employed. In fact, cyclic amines worked as more effective bases to promote the catalytic reactions smoothly ( Table 1, entries [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Especially, the use of 4-methylmorpholine (B1) as a base achieved the best reactivity and enantioselectivity (Table 1, …”

Amberlyst‐15 as a Green and Efficient Reusable Catalyst for Friedel‐Crafts Alkylation of Activated Arenes with N‐Sulfonyl Aldimines and Synthesis of Bis‐triarylmethanes

“…The recovered Amberlyst-15 can be reused several times without significant loss of activity. [22][23][24] The triarylmethanes, bis-arylmethanes and bis-heteroarylmethanes have displayed various biological activities such as antiviral, [24][25][26][27] antitumor, [28] antitubercular, [29] antifungal, and anti-inflammatory agents. [30] Moreover, these compounds have been also found to possess widespread application in synthetic, medicinal and industrial chemistry.…”

Synthesis of Chiral Triarylmethanes Bearing All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters: Catalytic Asymmetric Oxidative Cross‐Coupling of 2,2‐Diarylacetonitriles and (Hetero)arenes

“…[1] However,c atalytic asymmetric synthesis of these molecules has been alongstanding challenge owing to the lack of sufficient steric difference between the aryl rings. [2] Since the pioneering work by Yu and co-workers, [3] ac ouple of delicate strategies for enantioselective preparation of triarylmethanes bearing tertiary stereocenters have been disclosed. [4][5][6] However, asymmetric construction of triarylmethanes containing allcarbon quaternary stereocenters remains underexplored, presumably because of the inherently unfavorable steric hindrance.…”