Combining Photoredox‐Catalyzed Trifluoromethylation and Oxidation with DMSO: Facile Synthesis of α‐Trifluoromethylated Ketones from Aromatic Alkenes

Trifluoromethylated ketones are useful building blocks for organic compounds with a trifluoromethyl group. A new and facile synthesis of ketones with a trifluoromethyl substituent in the α-position proceeds through a one-pot photoredox-catalyzed trifluoromethylation-oxidation sequence of aromatic alkenes. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) serves as a key and mild oxidant under these photocatalytic conditions. Furthermore, an iridium photocatalyst, facIr(ppy)3 (ppy=2-phenylpyridine), turned out to be crucial for the present photoredox process.