Molecules (Aug 2024)

Desulfonylative Functionalization of Organosulfones via Inert (Hetero)Aryl C(<i>sp<sup>2</sup></i>)–SO<sub>2</sub> Bond Cleavage

  • Rui Huang,
  • Boning Gu,
  • Ming Wang,
  • Yinsong Zhao,
  • Xuefeng Jiang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29174137
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 17
p. 4137

Abstract

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As “chemical chameleons,” organosulfones have been widely applied in various desulfonylative functionalization reactions. However, the desulfonylative functionalization of (hetero)arylsulfones through the cleavage of inert C(sp2)–SO2 bonds remains a challenging and underexplored task. Over the past twenty years, the use of (hetero)arylsulfones as arylation reagents has gradually gained attention in diverse cross-coupling reactions under specific catalytic conditions, especially in transition metal-catalysis and photocatalysis chemistry. In this review, we discuss the representative accomplishments and mechanistic insights achieved in desulfonylative reactions of inactive C(sp2)–SO2 bonds in (hetero)arylsulfones, including: (i) transition-metal-catalyzed desulfonylative cross-coupling reactions and (ii) photo-/electrocatalytic radical desulfonylative coupling reactions. We anticipate that this review will provide an overall perspective in this area to a general audience of researchers and stimulate further innovative strategies for desulfonylative functionalization of inert arylsulfones.

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