New strategies in the synthesis of regioselectively trifluoromethyl- and trifluoromethoxy-substituted arenes as building blocks for biologically active molecules

Regioisomerically pure trifluoromethyl- and trifluoromethoxy-substituted aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes and carboxylic acids are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of biologically active molecules. They have been prepared by employing modem organometallic methods. On this basis, a novel access to 2,3-dihydro-5-(trifluoromethoxy)indole was developed which represents an intriguing example of how organometallic and radical chemistry can fecundate each other. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.