Direct α-siladifluoromethylation of lithium enolates with Ruppert-Prakash reagent via C-F bond activation.

The direct α-siladifluoromethylation of lithium enolates with the Ruppert-Prakash reagent (CF3 TMS) is shown to construct the tertiary and quaternary carbon centers. The Ruppert-Prakash reagent, which is versatile for various trifluoromethylation as a trifluoromethyl anion (CF3 (-) ) equivalent, can be employed as a siladifluoromethyl cation (TMSCF2 (+) ) equivalent by CF bond activation due to the strong interaction between lithium and fluorine atoms.