Synthetic exploration of sulfinyl radicals using sulfinyl sulfones

Abstract Sulfinyl radicals – one of the fundamental classes S-centered have eluded synthetic application in organic chemistry for over 60 years, despite their potential to assemble valuable sulfoxide compounds. Here we report successful generation and use sulfinyl a dual radical addition/radical coupling with unsaturated hydrocarbons, where readily-accessed sulfones serve as precursor. The strategy provides an entry variety previously inaccessible linear cyclic disulfurized adducts single step, demonstrates tolerance extensive range hydrocarbons functional groups. Experimental theoretical mechanistic investigations suggest that these reactions proceed through sequential sulfonyl addition.