A variety of chlorosilyl enolates has been prepared starting from esters, t
hiol esters, acylsilanes, and ketones. Two general methods are involved, di
rect enolsilylation with trichlorosilyl triflate and diisopropylethylamine,
and a number of methods based on electrophilic substitution of either C- o
r O-silyl or stannyl carbonyl compounds. The most useful method is a Hg(OAc
)(2)-catalyzed trans-silylation from trimethylsilyl to trichlorosilyl enol
ethers, providing a wide range of ketone enolates in good to high yield.