An Improved Synthesis of 1,2-Diarylethanols under Conventional Heating and Ultrasound Irradiation

A simple and efficient synthesis of 1,2-diarylethanols has been developed. The procedure involved the reaction between a variety of toluene derivatives and aryl aldehydes under conventional heating and ultrasound irradiation. This procedure possesses several advantages such as operational simplicity, high yield, safety and environment benignancy. Ultrasound was proved to be very helpful to the reaction, markedly improving the yield and the reaction rate.