Raney Ni–Al alloy in a dilute aqueous alkaline solution has been shown to be a powerful reducing agent and is highly effective for the reduction of alkylbenzils and alkoxybenzils to afford the corresponding 1, 2-diarylethers at 90° C, in the absence of organic solvents. 4, 4'- Dinitrobenzil was transformed selectively to 1, 2-bis (4-aminophenyl)-ethane.
![1-tert-butyl-4-[2-(4-tert-butylphenyl)ethyl]benzene结构式](https://image.chemsrc.com/caspic/012/22927-07-7.png)