Table 1.

Catalyst Discovery for Direct Phenanthroline Trifluoromethylation

Entrya	Catalyst	Additive (equiv)	Conversion (%)b	Yield (%)c
1	none	KF (3.0)	<5	<5
2	CuI	KF (3.0)	<5	<5
3	CuBr2	KF (3.0)	<5	<5
4	CuOAc	KF (3.0)	>95	72
5	Cu(OAc)2	KF (3.0)	>95	75
6	Cu(TFA)2	KF (3.0)	78	56
7	Cu(OTf)2	KF (3.0)	<5	<5
8	Cu(SO4)2	KF (3.0)	<5	<5
9	Cu(OAc)2	none	100	58
10	Cu(OAc)2	KOAc (1.0)	100	78
11	Cu(OAc)2	KOAc (0.5) AcOH (0.5)	100	80

^aReactions were carried out under O₂ at 40 °C, unless stated otherwise.

^bConversions were determined by ¹H NMR analysis with 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene as an internal standard.

^cIsolated yield.