Efficient Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl Amines through a Formal Umpolung Strategy from the Bench-Stable Precursor (Me N)SCF.

Reported herein is the one-pot synthesis of trifluoromethylated amines at room temperature using the bench-stable (Me N)SCF reagent and AgF. The method is rapid, operationally simple and highly selective. It proceeds via a formal umpolung reaction of the SCF with the amine, giving quantitative formation of thiocarbamoyl fluoride intermediates within minutes that can readily be transformed to N-CF . The mildness and high functional group tolerance render the method highly attractive for the late-stage introduction of trifluoromethyl groups on amines, as demonstrated herein for a range of pharmaceutically relevant drug molecules.