Cinchona Alkaloids/TMAF combination-catalyzed nucleophilic enantioselective trifluoromethylation of aryl ketones

The catalytic, nucleophilic enantioselective trifluoromethylation reaction of both acyclic and cyclic aryl ketones using the Ruppert-Prakash reagent is now at hand, with an operationally simple procedure, based on the combination of ammonium bromide of cinchona alkaloids with TMAF. The procedure is reliable and general. Trifluoromethyl-substituted tetrasubstituted aryl alcohols have been synthesized in up to 94% ee.