New β-amino-α-trifluoromethyl alcohols and their exploration in the synthesis of trifluoromethylated imidazole derivatives

Racemic and enantiomerically pure β-amino-α-trifluoromethyl alcohols were obtained via sequential nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of selected α-imino ketones, derived from arylglyoxals, and subsequent removal of the MeO or Ph(Me)CH substituent, respectively, located at the N-atom. The obtained products, containing a primary amino group, were used for the synthesis of imidazole N-oxides bearing a trifluoromethyl group as a part of the N(1)-alkyl chain. Imidazole N-oxides with an electron-withdrawing ester group at C(4) underwent spontaneous isomerization under the reaction conditions, and the corresponding imidazol-2-ones derivatives were isolated as final products.