Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed Addition of Arylboronic Acids to (Benzyl-/Arylsulfonyl)acetonitriles: Efficient Synthesis of (<i>Z</i>)-β-Sulfonylvinylamines and β-Keto Sulfones
An efficient rhodium(I)-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to (benzyl-/arylsulfonyl)acetonitrile is described. Novel β-sulfonylvinylamine products are formed in a stereoselective fashion (Z-alkene). Upon hydrolysis, useful β-keto sulfones are obtained with a broad scope of aryl and sulfonyl substituents.
Alkylation of nitroarenes via VicariousNucleophilicSubstitution (VNS) was tested experimentally and modelled with DFT calculations. Mechanistic studies reveal intrinsic differences between reactions of archetypal carbanion precursor PhSO2CH2Cl, and alkyl phenyl sulfones, in which benzenesulfinate acts as a leaving group. Accordingly, for the latter precursors steric hindrance develops at the β-elimination