Trifluoromethide as a Strong Base: [CF3-] Mediates Dichloromethylation of Nitrones by Proton Abstraction from the Solvent.

An unprecedented reactivity of CF3-TMS has been revealed, which exploits the basic character of the generated [CF3-] capable of delivering dichloromethide from dichloromethane with subsequent transfer to nitrones under smooth conditions. The proton-abstraction pathway was demonstrated through isotopic labeling experiments in CD2Cl2. The same reaction was achieved in acetonitrile with the introduction of a cyanomethyl group onto the nitrones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]