Palladium-Catalyzed Negishi Coupling of α-CF 3 Oxiranyl Zincate: Access to Chiral CF 3 -Substituted Benzylic Tertiary Alcohols.

We report a Pd-catalyzed stereospecific α-arylation of optically pure 2,3-epoxy-1,1,1-trifluoropropane (TFPO). This method allows for the direct and reliable preparation of optically pure 2-CF3 -2-(hetero)aryloxiranes, which are precursors to many CF3 -substituted tertiary alcohols. The use of continuous-flow methods has allowed the deprotonation of TFPO and subsequent zincation at higher temperature compared to that under traditional batch conditions.