Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Preparation of N-2-alkoxyvinylsulfonamides from N-tosyl-1,2,3-triazoles and Subsequent Conversion to Substituted Phthalans and Phenethylamines
Published on: January 3, 2018
SulfoxFluor-enabled deoxyazidation of alcohols with NaN3
Junkai Guo1, Xiu Wang1, Chuanfa Ni1
1Key Laboratory of Organofluorine Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Ling-Ling Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Abstract:
Direct deoxyazidation of alcohols with NaN3 is a straightforward method for the synthesis of widely used alkyl azides in organic chemistry. However, known methods have some limitations such as high reaction temperatures and narrow substrate scope. Herein, a general and practical method for the preparation of alkyl azides from alcohols using NaN3 has been developed. N-tosyl-4-chlorobenzenesulfonimidoyl fluoride (SulfoxFluor) plays an important role in this deoxyazidation process, which converts a broad range of alcohols into alkyl azides at room temperature. The power of this deoxyazidation protocol has been demonstrated by successful late-stage deoxyazidation of natural products and pharmaceutically relevant molecules.
Related Concept Videos
Oxidation of Alcohols
The process of oxidation in a chemical reaction is observed in any of the three forms:
Acid Halides to Esters: Alcoholysis
Conversion of Alcohols to Alkyl Halides
Radical Oxidation of Allylic and Benzylic Alcohols
Alcohols from Carbonyl Compounds: Reduction
Catalytic hydrogenation is similar to the reduction of an alkene or alkyne by adding H2 across the pi bond in the presence of transition metal catalysts like Raney Ni, Pd–C, Pt, or Ru. Aldehydes and ketones can be reduced by this method, often under mild to moderate heat (25–100°C) and...
Oxidative Cleavage of Alkenes: Ozonolysis
Ozone is a symmetrical bent molecule stabilized by a resonance structure.

