Aromatic trifluoromethyldenitration and trifluoromethyldecyanation using trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane

Activation of trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane by potassium fluoride in N,N-dimethylacetamide provides a powerful source of trifluoromethide which is capable of substituting aromatic nitro and cyano groups under nucleophilic conditions, albeit in low yield. The trifluoromethide generated in this system is also a potent base which leads to a number of interesting side reactions via deprotonation of the substrate.