Facile conversion of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones into highly substituted arenes via a base-mediated, completely regioselective, air-oxidative [3 + 3] benzannulation reaction with readily available 4-sulfonylcrotonates or 1,3-bisphenylsulfonylpropene is reported. The reaction can also be carried out as a one-pot, three-component operation using 4-bromocrotonates, aryl sulfinates, and cinnamaldehyde. This open-flask, metal-free reaction does not require anhydrous solvents, proceeds under mild conditions, and uses atmospheric oxygen as the oxidant to afford high yields of the 3-(arylsulfonyl)benzoic acid esters.
According to the title reaction, 4‐sulfonylcrotonates or 1,3‐bissulfonylpropene are transformed with α,β‐unsaturated aryl aldehydes, citronellal, or ketones to form highly substituted 3‐sulfonyl benzoic ester derivatives.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.