Difluoro(trimethylsilyl)acetonitrile: synthesis and fluoroalkylation reactions.

A new silicon reagent, difluoro(trimethylsilyl)acetonitrile, was prepared by insertion of difluorocarbene into silyl cyanide. The obtained silane served as a good cyanodifluoromethylating reagent toward aldehydes, N-tosylimines, N-alkylimines, and enamines under basic or acidic conditions.