The regioselective carbon-carbon bond formation was studied using 5,5,5-trifluoro-1-phenylpent-3-en-1-yne as a model substrate, and predominant acceptance of electrophiles β to a CF3 group as well as a deuterium trap experiment of the lithiated species led to the conclusion that the obtained regioselectivity is kinetically determined for the reactions with electrophiles, under equilibration of the possible two anionic species.
Keywords: Li···F chelation; additives; computation; deprotonation; electron-withdrawing effect; organo-fluorine.