To a solution of 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanoic acid (1.11 g) in N,N-dimethylacetamide (15 mL) at -20° C. was added thionyl chloride (0.84 g) and the mixture was allowed to stir at -10 to -15° C. for 1 hour. 4-Amino-3-methylbenzophenone (1.00 g) was added in one portion and the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight. The mixture was poured into water and the resultant gummy solid was collected by filtration. The solid was dissolved in methylene chloride, dried and evaporated to give a brown oil. Chromatography, with diethyl ether:dichloromethane (2:98) as the eluent, gave a white foam which was stirred with hexane for two hours. The title compound was collected by filtration as a white solid (1.04 g); mp 123-124° C.; MS: m/z=352(M+1); NMR: 1.61 (s,3), 2.28 (s,3), 7.54-7.61 (m,3) 7.66-7.74 (m,6) 9.73 (s,1). Analysis for C18H16F3NO3 : Calculated: C, 61.54; H, 4.59; N, 3.99; Found: C, 61.53; H, 4.73; N, 4.01.
