Rhodium-catalyzed addition of aryldifluoromethylsilanes to N-sulfonylaldimines

The addition of aryldifluoromethylsilanes to N-sulfonylaldimines was found to be catalyzed by a rhodium complex, [Rh(cod)(MeCN)2]BF4, in the presence of potassium fluoride to give the corresponding arylated N-sulfonylamines in good yield. The reaction mechanism would involve the generation of a fluoride-coordinated arylsilicate and the transmetalation between the arylsilicate and the rhodium complex to give the arylrhodium species as a key intermediate.