Harnessing in vivo synthesis of bioactive multiarylmethanes in Escherichia coli via oxygen-mediated free radical reaction induced by simple phenols.

Our findings provide a mechanistic insight into in vivo synthesis of complex and condensed arthrocolins induced by simple phenols and exploits a quinol based method to generate endogenous aromatic building blocks, as well as a methylidene unit, for the bacteria-facilitated synthesis of multiarylmethanes.