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α-Carbonyl sulfoxonium ylides in transition metal-catalyzed C-H activation: a safe carbene precursor and a weak
Anurag Singh1, Shreemoyee Kumar1, Chandra M R Volla1
1Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai-400076, India. chandra.volla@chem.iitb.ac.in.
Abstract:
Transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling of sp2 C-H bonds with diazo compounds via carbene migratory insertion represents an efficient strategy for the construction of C-C and C-heteroatom bonds in organic synthesis. Despite the popularity of diazo compounds as coupling partners in C-H activation, they pose serious safety and stability issues due to potential exothermic reactions linked with the release of N2 gas. However, compared with diazo compounds, sulfoxonium ylides are generally crystalline solids, more stable, widely used in industrial scales, and easier/safer to prepare. Therefore, recent years have witnessed an upsurge in employing α-carbonyl sulfoxonium ylides as an alternative carbene surrogate in transition metal-catalyzed C-H activation. Unlike diazo compounds, α-carbonyl sulfoxonium ylides contain inherent potential to serve as a coupling partner as well as a weak directing group. This review will summarize the progress made in both categories of reactions.
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