A direct and rapid route to α,α-difluoroacylsilanes from trifluoroethanol

α,α-Difluoroacylsilanes were synthesised directly from a range of allyl ethers of trifluoroethanol via dehydrofluorination/metallation procedures, followed by thermal [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of the intermediate vinylmetals. The scope and limitations of ether synthesis and dehydrofluorination/metallation are described.