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Updated: May 7, 2026

Efficient Synthesis of Polyfunctionalized Benzenes in Water via Persulfate-promoted Benzannulation of α,β-Unsaturated Compounds and Alkynes
Published on: December 16, 2019
Phosphine-catalyzed domino benzannulation: an efficient method to construct biaryl skeletons
Jie Zheng1, You Huang, Zhengming Li
1State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
A novel phosphine-catalyzed reaction creates functionalized biaryls using allenoates and dienic sulfones. This domino benzannulation offers a new synthetic route for complex molecules.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Synthetic Chemistry
Background:
- Biaryl compounds are prevalent in pharmaceuticals and materials science.
- Efficient synthetic methods for biaryl construction are highly sought after.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel phosphine-catalyzed domino benzannulation reaction.
- To synthesize a diverse range of functionalized biaryls.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing allenoates and dienic sulfones as starting materials.
- Employing phosphine catalysis to facilitate a cascade reaction sequence.
- Optimization of reaction conditions including catalyst loading and temperature.
Main Results:
- The first reported phosphine-catalyzed domino benzannulation reaction.
- Successful synthesis of various functionalized biaryls with good yields.
- Demonstration of the reaction's broad substrate scope.
Conclusions:
- This new method provides an efficient and versatile approach for constructing functionalized biaryls.
- The developed domino benzannulation reaction expands the toolkit for synthetic organic chemists.
- Potential applications in medicinal chemistry and materials science due to the accessibility of diverse biaryl structures.
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