A Catalyst-Free Synthesis Platform for Functionalized Sulfur-Containing Molecules via Cyclic Sulfonium Salts

Organosulfur chemistry has garnered significant attention due to the critical role of sulfur-containing compounds in bioactive natural products, pharmaceuticals, and functional materials. A unique class of sulfonium salts has been successfully synthesized, enabling a range of transformation reactions, such as elimination, nucleophilic substitution, and Kornblum oxidation, all without requiring an external catalyst. This development not only facilitates the integration of diazo chemistry and organosulfur chemistry but also establishes a simple and efficient platform for the diverse synthesis of sulfur-containing functional molecules. With the benefits of catalyst-free operation, broad substrate compatibility, and high atom efficiency, this platform significantly broadens the chemical space of sulfur-containing compounds, furnishing novel synthetic methodologies for drug development, pesticide design, materials science, and other disciplines. It is poised to serve as a broadly applicable platform for producing novel sulfur-containing functional molecules.