Diketo compounds with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane: double nucleophilic trifluoromethylation reactions

Reactions of various diketo compounds with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane (Me3SiCF3) in the presence of catalytic amounts of cesium fluoride have been studied. gamma-Ketoesters, CH3COCH2CH2CO2R (R = Et, Bu), were reacted with 2 equiv of Me3SiCF3 at room temperature to give CH3C(OH)(CF3)CH2CH2COCF3 in good yield after hydrolysis. alpha-Diketones, R1COCOR2 (R1 = R2 = Ph; R1 = Ph, R2 = Me; R1 = R2 = Me; R1 = Me, R2 = Et), when reacted with Me3SiCF3, formed 1:1 or 1:2 addition products depending on the reaction conditions and stoichiometry used. Reactions of diones CH3COXCOCH3 (X = -CH2CH2-, -C6H4C6H4-, -CH2-) with Me3SiCF3 also led to the formation of the mono- or diaddition products depending on reaction conditions. With various kinds of substituted arylglyoxals, 2 equiv of Me3SiCF3 produced monoaddition products in 70-75% yield and diaddition products in 5-10% yield. One of the monoalcohols and two of the diols have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray analysis, and the presence of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding has been confirmed.