Oxidative cross-coupling of β,β-difluoroenol silyl ethers with nucleophiles:: A dipole-inversion method to difluoroketones

Oxidative cross-coupling of alpha-aryl-beta,beta-difluoroenol silyl ethers with heteroaromatics in the presence of Cu(OTf)(2) in wet acetonitrile proceeds smoothly, affording heteroaryldifluoromethyl aryl ketones in 61-88% yields. Alcohols also react as nucleophiles under the same conditions to provide alkoxydifluoromethyl aryl ketones in 73-80% yields.