A new method for the production of 1,1-diphenylalkanes based on Ta-mediated arylation of aldehydes using benzene

It was first discovered that the reaction between alkyl-substituted aldehydes and benzene, when treated with the TaCl5-Mg reagent system, results in the highly selective formation of 1,1-diphenyl alkanes with a high yield (87-90%). The reaction of p-methoxybenzaldehyde and benzene in the presence of TaCl5 and Mg leads to the quantitative formation of triphenylmethane