An efficient N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed nucleophilic acylation of trifluoromethyl ketimines has been developed. The combination of N-aryl trifluoromethyl ketimines with various furan-2-carbaldehydes leads chemoselectively to the corresponding α-amino-α-trifluoromethyl ketones in moderate to very good yields (32-87%) providing ready access to this pharmaceutically important class of compounds.