Palladium-catalyzed reductive desulfonative aminocarbonylation of benzylsulfonyl chlorides with nitroarenes towards arylacetamides

Abstract

A new palladium-catalyzed reductive desulfonative aminocarbonylation reaction with benzylsulfonyl chlorides as C(sp³) electrophiles has been developed. Using nitroarenes as readily accessible and stable nitrogen surrogates, a wide range of arylacetamides were easily prepared in high yields with very good functional group compatibility. Mo(CO)₆ plays a dual role as both a CO source and reductant here. Moreover, a late-stage modification of natural products was also achieved via this aminocarbonylation strategy.