Oxidative generation of diarylcarbenium ion pools.

"Cation pools" of diarylcarbenium ions have been generated by the oxidative C-H bond dissociation of diarylmethanes using anodic oxidation. "Diarylcarbenium ion pools" thus generated react with various nucleophiles, such as allylsilanes, ketene silyl acetals, and aromatic compounds. The reductive homocoupling of the "diarylcarbenium ion pool" has been achieved. The dimer thus obtained also serves as a precursor of the "diarylcarbenium ion pool" via oxidative C-C bond dissociation. [reaction: see text]