Cross-coupling of benzylic acetates with arylboronic acids: one-pot transformation of benzylic alcohols to diarylmethanes

Benzylic acetates reacted with arylboronic acids in the presence of a DPEphos–[Pd((eta)3-C3H5)Cl]2 catalyst when tertamyl alcohol was used as a solvent, and the catalytic cross-couplings produced diarylmethanes in high yields (up to 94% isolated yield).