2-Methoxy-4,6-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyllithium: A new stable aryllithium useful as an intermediate to bis(trifluoromethyl)aromatics

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-1139(96)03418-5

A method for the preparation of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)anisole (3) has been developed. Lithiation of 3 occurred exclusively at the position ortho to the CH₃O group to give a thermally stable lithium derivative 6 which readily undergoes conventional reactions with a number of electrophiles. Formylation and carboxylation of 6 gave bis(trifluoromethyl) derivatives of salicylic aldehyde and salicylic acid 9-12 in good yields.