Catalyst-free arylation of sulfonamides<i>via</i>visible light-mediated deamination

Abstract

A novel arylation of sulfonamides with boronic acids to afford numerous diaryl sulfones <i>via</i> a visible light-mediated N-S bond cleavage other than the typical transition-metal-catalyzed C(O)-N bond activation is described. This methodology, which represents the first catalyst-free protocol for the sulfonylation of boronic acids, is characterized by its simple reaction conditions, good functional group tolerance and high efficiency. Several successful examples for the late-stage functionalization of diverse sulfonamides indicate the high potential utility of this method in pharmaceutical science and organic synthesis.