This manuscript describes a catalytic reductive cross-coupling between arylaldehydes and aryl electrophiles using silylboronate as a terminal reductant. The reaction involves a copper-catalyzed silylboration of aldehydes affording the O-borylated α-silyl alcohols followed by the nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction with aryl electrophiles. This protocol offers a new opportunity to access 1,1-diarylmethanol derivatives without rare-metals and highly basic organometallic reagents.

DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.202200005