Oxidation and ring cleavage reactions of 3-benzhydrylchromones. Generation of triarylmethine cations from methylidenechroman-4-ones and benzopyrano[4,3-c]pyrazoles

The oxidation of 3-[bis-(diaryl)methyl]chromones 2 with p-chloranil affords novel acetals, 3-[bis-(diaryl)methylene]-2-methoxychroman-4-ones, 4 through interception of a pyrylium type intermediate. Oxidation of 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-4-[bis-(diaryl)methyl]pyrazoles 8, derived from 2 and hydrazines, gave 4,4-diarylbenzopyrano[4,3-c]pyrazoles 15. The electronic absorption spectra of 4 and 15 upon protonation are comparable with those of triarylmethine cationic dyes.