Cyclic Alkenylsulfonyl Fluorides: Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis and Functionalization of Compact Multifunctional Reagents

A series of low-molecular-weight, compact, and multifunctional cyclic alkenylsulfonyl fluorides were efficiently prepared from the corresponding alkenyl triflates. Palladium-catalyzed sulfur dioxide insertion using the surrogate reagent DABSO effects sulfinate formation, before trapping with an F electrophile delivers the sulfonyl fluorides. A broad range of functional groups are tolerated, and a correspondingly large collection of derivatization reactions are possible on the products, including substitution at sulfur, conjugate addition, and N-functionalization. Together, these attributes suggest that this method could find new applications in chemical biology.