Recent Advances and Uses of (Me₄N)XCF₃ (X=S, Se) in the Synthesis of Trifluoromethylthiolated and Trifluoromethylselenolated Compounds

The introduction of trifluoromethylthio (SCF₃) and trifluoromethylseleno (SeCF₃) substituents into organic molecules significantly improves the electron-withdrawing and lipophilic properties of their parent compounds. Therefore, a vast class of versatile reagents were employed to access the corresponding fluorine-containing compounds. Among them, tetramethylammonium salts, such as (Me₄N)SCF₃ and (Me₄N)SeCF₃, have been employed as practical and efficient non-metal reagents for developing efficient trifluoromethylthiolation and trifluoromethylselenolation in recent years. This Minireview systematically illustrates the application of (Me₄N)XCF₃ (X=S, Se) in the synthesis of trifluoromethylthiolated and trifluoromethylselenolated compounds, and its content is divided into two categories: transition-metal-catalyzed reactions, and transition-metal-free reactions.