New strategy for the regioselective synthesis of 1-phenyl-3-trifluoromethyl-1H-pyrazoles

A regioselective synthesis of 3-trifluoromethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazoles (1,3-isomers) as well as their 1,5-isomers (5-trifluoromethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazoles), is described. The 1,3-isomers were obtained from the reaction of 4-alkoxy-1,1,1-trifluoroalk-3-en-2-ones with arylhydrazones followed by deprotective hydrolysis while the 1,5-isomer was obtained by direct cyclocondensation of 4-alkoxy-1,1,1-trifluoroalk-3-en-2-ones with phenylhydrazine. An unequivocal assignment of the 1,3- and 1,5-isomers of the pyrazole products is given.