Defluorination-silylation of alkyl trifluoroacetates to 2,2-difluoro-2-(trimethylsilyl)acetates by copper-deposited magnesium and trimethylsilyl chloride

Reductive defluorination-silylation of alkyl trifluoroacetates with copper-deposited magnesium and trimethylsilyl chloride (TMS-Cl) gave 2,2-difluoro-2-(trimethylsilyl)acetates, potential difluoromethylene building blocks, in 60-68% yields.