Facile preparation of di- and monofluoromethyl ketones from trifluoromethyl ketones via fluorinated enol silyl ethers

Di- and monofluoromethyl ketones were prepared from the readily available trifluoromethyl ketones in high yields. Magnesium metal mediated reductive defluorination readily generates fluorinated enol silyl ethers, which upon fluoride or acid assisted hydrolysis give the respective ketones in good to excellent yields.