This paper is dedicated to Professor Mauricio Gomes Constantino on the occasion of his 75th birthday.
Niobium pentachloride is an efficient and useful Lewis acid to conduct Friedel–Crafts hydroxyalkylation between arenes and (hetero)aromatic aldehydes, to generate triarylmethanes. This practical methodology offers several advantages, such as short reaction time, mild experimental conditions, and excellent yields.
Keywords
triarylmethanes - niobium pentachloride - Friedel–Crafts hydroxyalkylation - carbocations - (hetero)aromatic aldehydes