Copper-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Sulfonylation of Alkynyl Imines with Sulfonyl Hydrazides: Access to ( E )-β-Sulfonyl Enones.

A copper-catalyzed sulfonylation of alkynyl imines with sulfonyl hydrazides has been developed, which exhibited excellent regio- and stereoselectivity and furnished a series of ( E )-β-sulfonyl enones in moderate to good yields. Mechanistic studies suggest that this strategy goes through a radical process.