Mixed organofluorine-organosilicon chemistry. 13. One-pot synthesis of difluoroaldols from acylsilanes and trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane. application to the synthesis of a difluoro analogue of egomaketone.

Difluoroaldol compounds 3 were synthesized in a one-pot procedure involving an acylsilane 1, trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane (TFMTMS), and an aldehyde. The key intermediate of this reaction is a difluoroenoxysilane 2. Ytterbium triflate proved to be a very efficient catalyst for promoting the aldol type reaction under very mild conditions. The potential of this reaction for the convergent synthesis of difluorinated compounds was illustrated by the synthesis of difluoroegomaketone 7d through dehydration of the corresponding aldol compound 3d.