Defluoroalkylation of Trifluoromethylarenes with Hydrazones: Rapid Access to Benzylic Difluoroarylethylamines.

Here, we report an efficient and modular approach toward the formation of difluorinated arylethylamines from simple aldehyde-derived N,N -dialkylhydrazones and trifluoromethylarenes (CF 3 -arenes). This method relies on selective C-F bond cleavage via reduction of the CF 3 -arene. We show that a diverse set of CF 3 -arenes and CF 3 -heteroarenes react smoothly with a range of aryl and alkyl hydrazones. The β-difluorobenzylic hydrazine product can be selectively cleaved to form the corresponding benzylic difluoroarylethylamines.