Exploration on Metal-Catalytic Conversion of Sulfinyl Sulfones
Yilong Li, Lulu Liu, Dingjian Shan, Fangcan Liang, Shuo Wang, Le Yu, Jiquan Liu, Qingling Wang, Xinxin Shao, Dianhu Zhu
Abstract
The utilization of sulfinyl sulfones in transition-metal-catalyzed synthetic chemistry has rarely been investigated. Here we report the design and utilization of nickel-catalytic conversion of in situ -generated redox-active sulfinyl sulfones for reductive coupling with a wide variety of organic halides by the dual-role nickel catalyst and dual-role reductant Zn. Mechanistic studies disclose that the key design of such a reaction is the employment of redox-active sulfinyl sulfones, enabling the in situ generation of electrophilic sulfur reagents through zinc-induced reduction facilitated by the nickel catalyst. This strategy demonstrates good tolerance for a wide range of organic halides and functional groups. Furthermore, this method extends to meta -substituted functional diaryl sulfides, enabling the modification of complex bioactive molecules and the synthesis of thioether-containing drugs.