Abstract Exceedingly fast preparation of trifluoromethyl tertiary alcohols has been accomplished from methyl ketones and trifluoromethyl ketones under solvent free conditions by cross Aldol reaction. The reaction was achieved in the presence of common inorganic base by grinding method at ambient temperature to give β -trifluoromethyl- β -hydroxyl ketones in high yields (up to 95%).
A novel and efficient aldol reaction of readily available vinyl azides with trifluoromethyl ketones by copper catalysis is developed. The reaction is proposed to go through a nucleophilic trapping of vinyl azides with trifluoromethyl ketones as a trifluoromethyl source, leading to the assembly of diverse trifluoromethylated compounds under mild conditions in satisfactory yield.