A novel approach to β-trifluoromethyl enaminones

beta-Trifluoromethyl enaminones 1 were prepared in good yields from the reaction of trifluoropropynyl lithium with N-methoxy-N-methylbenzamide, followed by quenching with H2O in the presence of a variety of amines. The use of hydrazine or benzamidine as an amine source in this reaction resulted in the formation of pyrazole 3 or pyrimidine 4. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.