Oxidation of α-trifluoromethyl and non-fluorinated alcohols via the merger of oxoammonium cations and photoredox catalysis.

We present an alcohol oxidation strategy to access α-trifluoromethyl ketones (TFMKs) merging catalytic oxoammonium cation oxidation with visible-light photoredox catalysis. This work uses 4-acetamido-(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidin-1-yl)oxyl as an organic oxidant capable of generating TFMKs in good yields. The methodology serves as an improvement over previous reports of an analogous oxidation strategy requiring superstoichiometric quantities of oxidant. Both primary and secondary non-fluorinated alcohols can also be oxidised in good yields.