Palladium-catalyzed trifluoroethylation of terminal alkynes with 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-iodoethane.

An efficient C(sp)-CH(2)CF(3) bond-forming reaction via Pd-catalyzed 2,2,2-trifluoroethylation of aryl and alkyl terminal alkynes has been developed. This protocol proceeds under mild conditions using the readily available and cheap reagent CF(3)CH(2)I as the source of the CH(2)CF(3) group. Various terminal aryl alkynes as well as alkylacetylenes can be transformed into the corresponding trifluoroethylated products in good-to-excellent yields. The method is tolerant of carbonyl, nitro, ester, cyano, and even formyl groups.