Diphenylmethane
Diphenylmethane is an organic compound with the formula 2CH2. The compound consists of methane wherein two hydrogen atoms are replaced by two phenyl groups. It is a white solid.
Diphenylmethane is a common skeleton in organic chemistry. The diphenylmethyl group is also known as benzhydryl.It is prepared by the Friedel–Crafts alkylation of benzyl chloride with benzene in the presence of a Lewis acid such as aluminium chloride:
The methylene group in diphenylmethane is mildly acidic. The resulting carbanion can be alkylated:
