(Trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane (TMSCF(3)) reacts with nitrones to afford alpha-(trifluoromethyl)hydroxylamines protected as O-trimethylsilyl ethers. Potassium t-butoxide initiates the nucleophilic trifluoromethylation. The reaction works best with alpha,N-diaryl nitrones, and the conditions are compatible with a range of substituents on the aryl groups. Acidic deprotection of the nitrone/TMSCF(3) adducts generates alpha-(trifluoromethyl)hydroxylamines. Catalytic hydrogenation of the adducts produces alpha-(trifluoromethyl)amines. Nitrone/TMSCF(3) adducts with strong electron-withdrawing groups on the alpha-aryl ring or heterocyclic alpha-aryl groups undergo an elimination/addition sequence to generate alpha,alpha-bis(trifluoromethyl)amines. Nitrones with alkyl groups bound directly to the 1,3-dipolar moiety fail to react with TMSCF(3), but trifluoromethylation of beta,gamma-unsaturated nitrones followed by reduction of the double bond can circumvent this limitation.

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