Diverse transformation of sulfoxonium ylides via photoredox radical formation

Sulfoxonium ylides have been exploited as a class of versatile building blocks, exhibiting broad application prospects in organic synthesis. In recent years, our group and several others have demonstrated that sulfoxonium ylides can serve as efficient carbon radical precursors under visible-light-induced photoredox catalysis, enabling the efficient construction of structurally diverse and synthetically valuable molecular scaffolds under mild conditions. These strategies generally feature broad substrate scope, excellent chemo- and regioselectivity, and sustainable and environmentally benign reaction systems. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in photochemical transformations of sulfoxonium ylides through radical processes, with an emphasis on the synthetic applications and limitations, as well as the mechanisms of these reactions.