Reactivity of stable trifluoroacetaldehyde hemiaminals. I. An unexpected reaction with enolizable carbonyl compounds

In the presence of enolizable carbonyl compounds, hemiaminals of fluoral and related polyfluoro-aldehydes behave as equivalents of fluoroalkyl iminium compounds and provide beta -polyfluoroalkyl beta -dialkylamino ketones, which are easily transformed, under acidic conditions, into beta -polyfluoroalkylenones.