N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed fluorinated silyl-Reformatsky reaction of aldehydes with difluoro (trimethylsilyl) acetate

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been employed as highly efficient organocatalysts for fluorinated silyl-Reformatsky reaction of carbonyl compounds. In the presence of 5–10 mol % NHC A, various aldehydes and 2,2,2–trifluoroacetophenone reacted with difluoro (trimethylsilyl) acetate to produce β–hydroxy gem–difluoro esters in 20–96% yields.