In situ generation and reactions of p-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl electrophiles: an efficient access to p-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl compounds.

A new three-component reaction, namely condensation-anti-Michael addition-aromatization, enabling the construction of benzylic compounds is disclosed. This reaction can not only act as an alternative approach to regioselective Csp2-H trifluoromethylation of arenes through an "aromatic to be" strategy, but also provides a simple, convenient, step-economic, and practical strategy for the in situ generation of electrophilic p-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl species under extremely mild conditions.