Synthesis of benzyl- and benzhydrylferrocenes via Friedel–Crafts alkylation of ferrocene. Access to ferrocenyl bisphenols with high affinities for estrogen receptors

Ferrocene reacts with methoxy-substituted benzyl- and benzhydryl alcohols in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid to afford methoxybenzyl- or benzhydrylferrocenes in 47–56% yield. Demethylation of these compound leads to the ferrocenyl phenols and bisphenols. Some of the synthesized compounds display high affinity for estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ.