Amine-Induced Selective C–C Bond Cleavage of 2,2,2-Trifluoroethyl Carbonyls for the Synthesis of Ureas and Amides

An efficient and selective transformation of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl carbonyls into ureas/amides with amines is reported. This protocol allows the selective cleavage of the C–C bond of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl carbonyls under transition metal-free and oxidant-free conditions, which is in contrast to the analogous C–F or C–CF3 bond functionalization. This reaction reveals the unexplored reactivity of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl carbonyls and exhibits a broad substrate range and good functional group tolerance.