Metal-free tetra-n-butylammonium bromide-mediated aerobic oxidative synthesis of β-ketosulfones from styrenes

Dioxygen-Triggered Oxosulfonylation/Sulfonylation of Terminal Olefins toward β-Keto Sulfones/Sulfones

A dioxygen-triggered oxosulfonylation/sulfonylation of unactivated olefins to achieve β-keto sulfones/sulfones has been developed. Interestingly, pluralistic mechanisms were found when different types of compounds were applied as substrates, and different products were achieved. The reaction is carried out with a high atomic efficiency in the absence of a metal and a catalyst at room temperature under an air atmosphere. Importantly, as a proof-of-concept, a bioactive molecule was synthesized on a gram-scale level using this method.

Recent advances in the synthesis and applications of β-keto sulfones: new prospects for the synthesis of β-keto thiosulfones

This review mainly focuses on recent developments in the preparation of β-keto sulfones and their extensive synthetic applications. New prospects for the synthesis of β-keto thiosulfones have also been highlighted. Over the last decade, there has been exponential growth in the direct construction of β-keto sulfones using a wide variety of keto and sulfonyl precursors. Of note, the most promising photoredox transformations and electrochemical synthesis methods of β-keto sulfones are also presented. Moreover, β-keto sulfones are versatile building blocks in organic synthesis due to their three essential functional groups: sulfonyl, carbonyl, and active methylene moieties. The convenient preparation of β-keto sulfones allows the synthesis of many valuable carbocyclic and heterocyclic compounds, and the effortless removal of the sulfonyl moiety via transformations is supported. The chemistry of β-keto sulfones (2013 to present) can be divided into several sections based on the sulfonyl surrogates, and ubiquitous synthetic strategies were systematically outlined.

Oxidative Sulfonylation of Hydrazones Enabled by Synergistic Copper/Silver Catalysis

A copper/silver-cocatalyzed protocol for oxidative sulfonylation of hydrazones is demonstrated. A wide range of β-ketosulfones and N-acylsulfonamides are directly synthesized in moderate to good yields. Our work provides a viable method for scalable preparation of β-ketosulfone derivatives that have found wide applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

Photosensitizer-free synthesis of β-keto sulfones via visible-light-induced oxysulfonylation of alkenes with sulfonic acids

A practical and environment-friendly methodology for the construction of β-keto sulfones through visible-light induced direct oxysulfonylation of alkenes with sulfonic acids at ambient temperature under open-air conditions was developed. Most importantly, the reaction proceeded smoothly without the addition of any photocatalyst or strong oxidant, ultimately minimizing the production of chemical waste.

Sulfated tungstate/dioxygen: a new catalytic system for oxysulfonylation of styrenes to form β-keto sulfones

A new green cat./O₂ oxidation system is mild, safe, heterogeneous, simple to make, stable, noncorrosive, produces N₂ as by product, and has an easy to recover–reuse catalyst and wide substrate scope.

Direct methyl C(sp3)-H azolation of thioanisoles via oxidative radical coupling

A method for metal-free, 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin mediated methyl C(sp³)-H bond azolation of thioanisoles has been developed, affording a facile route for the construction of nitrogen-functionalized thioanisoles, possibly via a nitrogen-centered radical process. This reaction represents an important addition to the limited number of existing methods for the methyl C(sp³)-H bond functionalization of thioanisoles, and may find practical application in the synthesis of nitrogen-alkylated azoles.

Visible-light promoted aerobic difunctionalization of alkenes with sulfonyl hydrazides for the synthesis of β-keto/hydroxyl sulfones

A practical method has been developed for the conversion of alkenes to β-keto/hydroxyl sulfones by their reaction with sulfonyl hydrazides under metal-free conditions. This reaction proceeds through the oxidative addition of alkenes by sulfonyl radicals that are generated by visible-light induced oxidation of sulfonyl hydrazides. Notaly the reaction uses O2 as the terminal oxidant, instead of metal catalysts or oxidants like TBHP, leading to H2O and N2 as the clean by-products. The key features of this reaction include readily available reagents, mild reaction conditions and broad substrate scope.

A one-pot protocol for the synthesis of β-ketosulfones from α,α-dibromoketones

A one-pot debromination/sulfonylation strategy was developed for the direct transformation of α,α-dibromoketones into β-ketosulfones in the presence of sulfinate salts in a methanol solution.

Metal-free deoxygenative sulfonylation of quinoline N-oxides with sodium sulfinates via a dual radical coupling process

The first example of a metal- and reductant-free deoxygenative sulfonylation of quinoline N-oxides with sodium sulfinates via a dual radical coupling process is reported.