Explain the formation of (1,1,1-triphenylmethyl)methyl ether when a solution of 2,2,2-triphenylethanoic acid in concentrated sulfuric acid is poured in methanol.
I cannot figure out where is one carbon atom lost. Has it escaped as $\ce{CO2}$? Or is there something more strange happening.
I wouldn't call this reaction an esterification. There is no ester functional group in the final compound.
I guess there's some special role of the three phenyl groups but I'm unable to come up with any mechanism. I hope dehydration is involved as one of the reaction steps.