Photoredox/Cu dual catalyzed 1,4-cyanosulfonylation enabled by remote cyano migration

Abstract

A photoredox/Cu dual catalyzed 1,4-cyanosulfonylation of NHPI esters with readily available sodium arylsulfinates has been established under mild conditions, which provides an expedient approach toward a variety of δ-sulfonyl nitriles with good regioselectivity and functional group tolerance. A mechanism involving decarboxylation-triggered remote cyano migration has been proposed.