Silver(I)‐Catalyzed N‐Trifluoroethylation of Anilines and O‐Trifluoroethylation of Amides with 2,2,2‐Trifluorodiazoethane

A straightforward N‐trifluoroethylation of anilines has been developed based on silver‐catalyzed NH insertions with 2,2,2‐trifluorodiazoethane (CF3CHN2). Mechanistically, the reaction is proposed to involve migratory insertion of a silver carbene as the key step. In contrast, when amides are employed as the substrates under similar reaction conditions, O‐trifluoroethylation occurs to afford trifluoroethyl imidates.