An effective bismuth-catalyzed benzylation of arenes and heteroarenes

A highly efficient Bi(OTf)(3)-catalyzed benzylation of arenes and heteroarenes has been developed. ne mild reaction conditions, high yields, operational simplicity and practicability, broad scope, and remarkably low catalyst loading, render this environment friendly process an attractiv approach to diarylmethane derivatives. The extension to an intramolecular variant of this procedure provides a valuable route to substituted fluorenes.