A practical variety of o-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzonitrile substituted oximes ethers bearing broad functional groups were synthesized in moderate to good yields. The key highlight of this disclosure involving a one-pot two-step tandem procedure in aqueous media: the in situ formation of aryl aldehydes or ketones oximes followed by the SNAr reaction with pentafluorobenzonitrile via the high selective C-F bond cleavage. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.