Cu-Mediated Chemoselective Trifluoromethylation of Benzyl Bromides Using Shelf-Stable Electrophilic Trifluoromethylating Reagents

Copper-mediated chemoselective trifluoromethylation at the benzylic :position by the use of shelf-stable electrophilic trifluoromethylating reagents 3 in good to high yields under mild conditions is described for the first time. The generality of this trifluoromethylation for a wide variety of benzyl bromides facilitates the rapid creation of structural diversity of medicinal candidates in drug discovery.