For examples of preparation of alkyl and aryl triflates, and use of the latter in the Stille coupling reaction, see: Org. Synth. Coll., 6, 324 (1988); 9, 553 (1998). Alkyl triflates undergo solvolysis reactions between five and seven powers of ten times more rapidly than the corresponding halides or tosylates: J. Am. Chem. Soc., 97, 6478 (1975); Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 9, 521 (1970). For a review of the chemistry of triflate esters, see: Synthesis, 85 (1982).Enolizable carbonyl compounds in the presence of base can be converted to vinyl (enol) triflates: Synthesis, 85 (1982); Org. Synth. Coll., 6, 757 (1988). For conditions employing preferred base, 2,6-Di-tert-butyl-4-methyl-pyridine, see: Org. Synth. Coll., 8, 97, 126 (1993). Enol triflates behave as a source of vinyl cations. For reviews, see: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 17, 333 (1978); Acc. Chem. Res., 11, 107 (1978); 15, 348 (1982); 21, 147 (1988).The Ritter reaction is normally most successful with tertiary alcohols. In contrast, a useful variation allows conversion of primary or secondary alcohols to amides in good yield: Tetrahedron Lett., 30, 581 (1989): Triflic anhydride has also been found to promote the nitration of arenes, even deactivated ones, under mild conditions: Synthesis, 1087 (1992). For a review of chemical transformations induced by the reagent, see: Tetrahedron, 56, 3077 (2000). For a brief feature on uses in synthesis, see: Synlett, 390 (2004).
