Visible-light-mediated synthesis of 2-sulfenylated pyrrolo[1,2-α]quinoxalines via isocyanide/disulfide radical cascades

Abstract

We have developed a visible-light-driven photocatalytic tandem reaction system to achieve the efficient synthesis of 2-sulfenylated pyrrolo[1,2-α]quinoxalines based on a radical addition–cyclization mechanism. Mechanistic studies show that the sulfur radical intermediates generated in the reaction system directly participate in the subsequent formation of C–S bonds. This strategy has opened up an efficient synthetic pathway for the precise synthesis of C2-sulfur-substituted heterocyclic compounds.