Catalytic mutual multicomponent reaction: facile access to α-trifluoromethylthiolated ketones.

A multicomponent catalytic reaction between ketones, Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates and trifluoromethylthiolating agents is devised for straightforwardly accessing two products, alpha-trifluoromethylthiolated ketones and alpha-methylene beta-amino esters in a one pot fashion. Particularly noteworthy is that the trifluoromethylthiolating reagent is employed as both the nitrogen and SCF(3)source initiated by DABCO. This mild one pot strategy enjoys atom- and step-economic attractiveness, for direct introduction of an SCF(3)group onto a variety of acyclic ketones, which have been considered as less effective and less developed substrates.