Catalytic asymmetric alkylation of aryl heteroaryl ketones

Tertiary diarylmethanols are highly bioactive structural motifs. A new strategy to access chiral tertiary diarylmethanols through copper-catalyzed direct alkylation of (di)(hetero)aryl ketones by using Grignard reagents was developed. The low reactivity and the similarity of the enantiotopic faces of bisaromatic ketones were partially overcome, which resulted in moderate to good yields and enantioselectivities.