Copper-mediated trifluoromethylation of propiolic acids: facile synthesis of alpha-trifluoromethyl ketones

Copper-mediated decarboxylative trifluoromethylation provides a new protocol for the efficient preparation of alpha-trifluoromethyl ketones from propiolic acids. It was found that water is involved as a reactant in the reaction, which is significantly different from the previously reported decarboxylative fluoroalkylation reactions.