Synthesis of Sulfur Perfluorophenyl Compounds Using a Pentafluorobenzenesulfonyl Hypervalent Iodonium Ylide.

A novel pentafluorobenzenesulfonyl hypervalent iodonium ylide 3 was designed and synthesized as a useful tool for the preparation of sulfur pentafluorophenyl compounds containing a C6F5S or C6F5SO2 unit. Electrophilic pentafluorophenylthiolation of enamines, formal [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of nitriles and alkynes, and intramolecular SNAr cyclization were achieved using iodonium ylide 3. The fluoro-click reaction was also demonstrated using one of the products via an intermolecular SNAr reaction with heterocentered nucleophiles.