The introduction of an aryl group at the 2 position of the uricosuric diuretics, (1-oxo-2-alkyl-5-indanyloxy)acetic acids, provided compounds with markedly increased potency over their monosubstituted precursors. These compounds were synthesized either by arylation of the corresponding 2-alkyl-5-methoxy-1-indanones with diaryliodonium salts or by alkylation of the 2-aryl-5-methoxy-1-indanones which were cleaved to the corresponding phenols and then converted to the desired oxyacetic acids. Systematic structural variation of the 2-arylindanyloxyacetic acids provided aryl-substituted compounds with varying degrees of uricosuric and diuretic activity.