Regio- and stereo-specific preparation of (E)-1-aryl-3,3,3-trifluoro-1-iodo-propenes and their palladium-catalyzed reaction with terminal alkynes

A new type of iodo-containing trifluoromethylated building blocks were synthesized. The reaction of 1-aryl-3,3,3-trifluoropropynes 1 with lithium iodide in acetic acid at 75 °C gave (E)-1-aryl-3,3,3-trifluoro-1-iodo-propenes 2 in high yield, which undergo the palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira reaction with terminal alkynes afforded trifluoromethyl-containing 1,3-enynes in high yield.