Synthesis of trifluoromethylated amines using 1,1-bis(dimethylamino)-2,2,2-trifluoroethane

Lewis acid-catalyzed deamination of aminal, 1,1-bis(dimethylamino)-2,2,2-trifluoroethane, using ZnI2 in ether, generates the 2,2,2-trifluoro-1,1-dimethylaminoethyl carbocation, which undergoes synthetically useful electrophilic reactions with alkynes, a variety of electron-rich alkenes, and TMS cyanide to form trifluoromethylated alkynylamines, homoallylic amines, alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones, and cyanoamines in fair to good yields.