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Updated: Aug 25, 2025

Protocol for the Synthesis of Ortho-trifluoromethoxylated Aniline Derivatives
Published on: January 19, 2016
Three-Component Coupling of Anilines, Amines, and Difluorocarbene to Access Formamidines
Yi-Xin Si1, Cong-Cong Feng1, Song-Lin Zhang1
1Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Biological Colloids, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu, China.
Abstract:
A one-pot three-component reaction of two anilines (or one aniline and one alkylamine) and in situ-generated difluorocarbene is developed herein to enable efficient construction of formamidines. Crucial formimidoyl fluoride intermediate RN═CHF is proposed from the reaction of a primary aniline and difluorocarbene. Ensuing nucleophilic iminyl substitution of this intermediate with a second amine allows cross-condensation of the two amines to produce formamidines. When only one type of primary aniline is used as the substrate, the difluoromethylated homo-condensation products can also be produced under a 1:1 molar ratio of aniline/difluorocarbene. Intramolecular variant of this method allows concise synthesis of benzimidazoquinazolines and nitrogen-fused/spirocyclic compounds, showing the potential of this method in organic synthesis. More interesting reactions are anticipated by exploiting the reactivity of difluorocarbene and primary amines to isocyanides or the formimidoyl fluoride intermediates.
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