The current study reports a strategy for the electrophilic activation of CO2-derived bis(silyl)acetal. Under mild reaction conditions, it was utilized as a C1 synthon for the synthesis of symmetric and asymmetric diarylmethanes via catalysis by N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) with silane as a reductant, converting bis(silyl)acetals, a traditional reaction acceptor, into an electrophile under acidic conditions. The proposed strategy drives a Friedel–Crafts electrophilic substitution reaction, enabling the efficient synthesis of asymmetric diarylmethane products.
Cao et al. (Fri,) studied this question.