Reactivity of α-trifluoromethanesulfonyl esters, amides and ketones: Decarboxylative allylation, methylation, and enol formation

The impact of α-trifluoromethanesulfonyl groups on the chemistry of various carbonyl groups is reported. Allylic α,α-dialkylated-α-trifluoromethanesulfonyl esters readily underwent decarboxylative allylation. α-Trifluoromethylsulfonyl esters, ketones, and amides were all methylated in the presence of trimethylsilyldiazomethane. Esters afforded a mixture of O- and C-methylation; however, ketones and amides offered exclusively O-methylation, with varying degrees of E/Z selectivity, thus affording ambiphilic alkenes. α-Trifluoromethanesulfonyl ketones also exhibited keto-enol tautomerism.