Abstract

Titanium tetrachloride has been successfully used in the benzylation of aromatic substrates with a series of benzyl alcohols under mild reaction conditions. With monosubstituted aromatic substrates, ortho and para-substituted products are obtained in almost comparable amounts. With sterically hindered benzyl alcohol derivatives almost exclusively para-substitution occurs.

Keywords: Benzyl alcohol, diarylmethanes, friedel crafts reactions, substituted benzyl alcohols, titanium tetrachloride, aromatic substrates.