Microwave-Assisted Nafion-H Catalyzed Friedel-Crafts Type Reaction of Aromatic Aldehydes with Arenes: Synthesis of Triarylmethanes

A new solid acid Nafion-H, a perfluorinated sulfonic acid resin, catalyzed microwave-assisted synthesis of triarylmethanes is described. Various benzaldehydes react readily with arenes to provide the corresponding triarylmethanes in good to excellent yields. The reactions were carried out under solvent free conditions under microwave irradiation in a pressure vessel. The solvent free microwave irradiation methods appears to be an environmentally friendly synthetic protocol providing products in significantly shorter reaction times over traditional heating methods carried out in a pressure tube.