Facile synthesis of nonsymmetrical heteroaryl-substituted triarylmethanes via the FeCl3·6H2O-catalyzed two-step Friedel-Crafts-type reaction.

The FeCl3·6H2O-catalyzed three-component aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction of aromatic/heteroaromatic compounds, aromatic aldehydes and tert-butyl carbamate was reported. The subsequent Friedel-Crafts-type alkylation of the resulting tert-butyl diarylmethyl carbamate with heteroaromatic compounds under "open-flask" at room temperature was also performed. The two-step reaction was especially useful for the synthesis of functionalized nonsymmetrical heteroaryl-substituted triarylmethanes in good yields under an air atmosphere at room temperature.