A powerful, new reagent, an amidinate salt of hexafluoroacetone hydrate, is an air-stable salt that can be used for the preparation of fluorinated organic molecules. Nucleophilic trifluoromethylation reactions are demonstrated following the base-promoted release of trifluoroacetate. This reagent is soluble in many polar organic solvents and produces fluoroform, following the release of trifluoroacetate. Reactions with this reagent and common electrophiles provide excellent yields of trifluoromethylated products.