Detrifluoroacetylation of 2-ethoxymethylene derivative of ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetate

Ethyl 2-(ethoxymethylene)-4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetate reacts with cesium fluoride under mild conditions to give triethyl 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate. The plausible mechanism of this transformation includes step-by-step reactions of detrifluoroacetylation, addition-elimination and cyclization of three molecules of the starting CF3-alkoxyenone.