Remote asymmetric trifluoromethylation induced by chiral sulfinyl group: synthesis of enantiomerically pure 1-(2-naphthyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol

The reaction of 1-[(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)sulfinyl]-2-naphthaldehyde with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane using tetramethylammonium fluoride gave trifluoromethylated compounds in high yield with high diastereoselectivity. Desilylation and subsequent recrystallization yielded the enantiomerically and diastereomerically pure trifluoroethanol, which afforded chiral 1-(2-naphthyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol after removal of the sulfinyl group.