One-Pot Synthesis of Substituted Trifluoromethylated 2,3-Dihydro-1H-imidazoles

An operationally simple one-pot reaction for the preparation of a novel class of racemic trifluoromethylated 2,3dihydro-1H-imidazoles derived from electron-poor N,O-acetals and aryl Grignard reagents is described. In addition, access to highly functionalized 2-trifluoromethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-imidazoles was accomplished by reaction of N-aryl hemiaminal ethers and N-aryl trifluoroethylamines in the presence of an excess of n-butyllithium.