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Abstract Friedel–Crafts type benzylation of arenes and heteroarenes with benzylic acetates, alcohols, and carbonates is effectively promoted under mild reaction conditions using catalytic amounts of gold salts. The resulting 1, 1‐diarylalkanes and 1‐aryl‐1‐heteroarylalkanes are obtained in high yields and with high selectivity. The utility of the method is demonstrated by a short synthesis of beclobrate ethyl 2‐4‐ (4‐chlorobenzyl) ‐phenoxy‐2‐methylbutyrate (3), a fibric acid derivative.
Mertins et al. (Sat,) studied this question.