An efficient copper-catalyzed trifluoromethylation of substituted phthalic anhydrides using （trifluoromethyl） trimethylsilane （Me3SiCF3） as a nucleophilic trifluoromethylating reagent in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline and KF, followed by quenching the reaction mixture with water has been developed. A possible mechanism was suggested.
