Thianthrenium-Enabled Sulfonylation via Electron Donor-Acceptor Complex Photoactivation

Area of Science:

• Organic Chemistry
• Synthetic Chemistry
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Sulfone compounds are crucial in pharmaceuticals and biomolecules.
• Existing sulfone synthesis methods often require harsh conditions, limiting their applicability.
• Visible light-mediated reactions offer a promising alternative for novel synthetic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, mild method for sulfone synthesis.
• To utilize visible light and thianthrenium catalysis for efficient sulfonylation.
• To enable late-stage functionalization of complex molecules with sulfone groups.

Main Methods:

• Thianthrenium-enabled sulfonylation via intra-complex charge transfer.
• Visible light-mediated radical generation and coupling.
• Ambient reaction conditions.

Main Results:

• Selective generation of aryl and sulfonyl radicals.
• Efficient synthesis of alkyl and (hetero)aryl sulfones.
• Retention of halide functional groups, complementing transition metal catalysis.
• High functional group tolerance and suitability for late-stage functionalization.

Conclusions:

• The developed method provides a versatile and mild approach to sulfone synthesis.
• This strategy expands the toolkit for constructing complex molecules containing sulfone moieties.
• The reaction mechanism involves electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes.