Simple access to β-trifluoromethyl-substituted ketones via copper-catalyzed ring-opening trifluoromethylation of substituted cyclopropanols

Tertiary cyclopropanols react rapidly with Togni reagent in methanol at room temperature in the presence of catalytic amounts (3 mol%) of CuCl affording beta-trifluoromethyl ketones in 65-73% isolated yields. Ring opening in 1,2-dialkylsubstituted cyclopropanols gives a mixture of isomeric beta-trifluoromethyl ketones in about 50% combined yield.