SiCl4–Zn induced reductive coupling of carbonyl compounds: novel and efficient routes for one-pot syntheses of 1,2,3-triaryl-2-propen-1-ones and pinacolones at room temperature

An unprecedented one-pot reductive trimerization of aromatic aldehydes to 1,2,3-triaryl-2-propen-1-ones as well as tandem reductive coupling-rearrangements of aryl ketones to pinacolone analogues was efficiently achieved using tetrachlorosilane–zinc at room temperature.