Triphenylmethyl chloride or trityl chloride (TrCl) is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is a white solid although impure samples can appear yellowish. It is sometimes used to introduce the trityl protecting group.
Triphenylmethyl chloride is commercially available. It may be prepared by the reaction of triphenylmethanol with acetyl chloride, or by the FriedelâÂÂCrafts alkylation of benzene with carbon tetrachloride to give the trityl chloride-aluminium chloride adduct, which is then hydrolyzed.
Triphenylmethylsodium can be prepared from trityl chloride and sodium:
Reaction with silver hexafluorophosphate gives triphenylmethyl hexafluorophosphate.
Trityl chloride reacts with zinc in nonpolar solvents (e.g. benzene) to form Gomberg's dimer.