A facile and efficient synthesis of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl 2-[(E)-N-phenylcinnamamido]-2-phenylacetates in trifluoroethanol via sequential Ugi four-component reaction/esterification

We describe an efficient approach for the synthesis of N-substituted 2-alkenylamides in trifluoroethanol via an Ugi 4-component reaction in short reaction times. The use of a catalytic amount of sulfuric acid in trifluoroethanol gave the desired trifluoroethyl derivatives in good to high yields.