β-Trifluoromethyl α,β-unsaturated Ketones: Efficient Building Blocks for Diverse Trifluoromethylated Molecules

The trifluoromethyl (CF3) group is an advantageous structural motif in various biologically active molecules as well as materials, which is depicted by steadily increasing demand from the industries involved in drug discovery, agrochemicals and material development. beta-trifluoromethyl alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds constitute a very efficient building blocks as starting material in the synthesis of fluorinated molecules. Their usage for the synthesis of various heterocycles and organic molecules bearing stereogenic carbon containing CF3 motif has received significant attention during the recent times. This review provides the existing methods for the synthesis of beta-substituted trifluoromethyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and the efforts made by researchers for the synthetic development through various reactions by employing them as synthetic building blocks for trifluoromethylated organic scaffolds.