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Updated: Sep 26, 2026

Efficient Synthesis of Polyfunctionalized Benzenes in Water via Persulfate-promoted Benzannulation of α,β-Unsaturated Compounds and Alkynes
Published on: December 16, 2019
Synthesis of Sulfur Enriched Cyclohexenes via the Tungsten-Promoted Dearomatization of a Phenyl Sulfone
Daniel J Siela1, Matthew C McGraw1, Diane A Dickie1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
Abstract:
Prior work with the dearomatization agent [WTp(NO)(PMe3)] (Tp = trispyrazolylborate) has demonstrated the ability to synthesize cis, cis-3,4,6 trisubstituted cyclohexenes from phenyl sulfones. Herein, the compatibility of these methods with sulfur nucleophiles was investigated for the synthesis of sp3-enriched thioether- and thioacetate-functionalized cyclohexenes. Protonation of the WTp(NO)(PMe3)(η 2-PhSO2Me) complex followed by addition of a sulfur nucleophile was only successful for a thioacetate salt. However, when the first nucleophile was an ester enolate, subsequent protonation and nucleophilic addition successfully yielded a range of cyclohexene complexes with thioacetate, thiol, and sulfonyl substituents. Oxidative decomplexation of these complexes liberated the corresponding cyclohexene products. This strategy was then applied to the synthesis of a thioglycolate ester functionalized tetrahydrophenanthridinone.
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