Exceedingly Fast Copper(II)‐Promoted <i>ortho</i> CH Trifluoromethylation of Arenes using TMSCF₃

Abstract

The direct ortho-trifluoromethylation of arenes, including heteroarenes, with TMSCF3 has been accomplished by a copper(II)-promoted C-H activation reaction which completes within 30 minutes. Mechanistic investigations are consistent with the involvement of C-H activation, rather than a simple electrophilic aromatic substitution (SE Ar), as the key step.