Copper-catalyzed regioselective sulfonylcyanations of vinylarenes

A set of copper-catalyzed sulfonylcyanations of vinylarenes with readily accessible arylsulfonyl chlorides and trimethyl cyanide was accomplished under mild conditions, thus providing a step-economic streamlined route to various decorated beta-sulfonyl nitriles with good regioselectivity and functional group tolerance. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggested that this type of reaction undergoes a classic radical chain process.