If last month Synfacts selected Prof. Grushin et al. method for the trifluoromethylation of aryl boronic acids, this month they highlight the first nucleophilic trifluoromoethylation of ?-haloketones published by the same research group in JACS.

Graphical Abstract

This new method requires low-cost chemicals to afford the corresponding trifluoromethylated products with up to 99% yield, at room temeprature and under short reaction times. Thereby, this novel synthetic procedure is an unprecedentedly easy entry to valuable 2,2,2-trifluoroethylketones.

The Editorial Board of SYNFACTS considered this paper to be one of the most significant recent developments and future trends in synthetic chemistry.