Synthesis of difluoroenoxysilanes from acylsilanes and trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane (TFMTMS). Dramatic effect of the catalytic fluoride source

Difluorenoxysilanes are produced in high yield by catalytic fluoride activation of a mixture of TFMTMS and an acylsilane: Tetrabutylammonium difluorotriphenylstannate is an excellent catalyst whereas tetrabutylammonium fluoride leads directly to the aldol product corresponding to the difluoromethyl ketone. Some one-pot applications illustrate the usefulness of this methodology.