Visible-light-promoted CO2 oxidative 1,2-thiosulfonylation of styrenes with sodium sulfinates and thiophenols

Abstract

Visible-light-promoted CO₂ oxidative radical reactions in organic synthesis have attracted increasing attention. However, only simple organic compounds via oxidative coupling to dimer products with CO₂ as an oxidant have been developed. Herein, we report a CO₂ oxidative three-component 1,2-thiosulfonylation of styrenes with sodium sulfinates and thiophenols under visible-light irradiation. CO₂ as an oxidant is crucial to this reaction. This strategy does not require extra stoichiometric amounts of reductants. A control experiment shows that the reaction cannot proceed without CO₂. This photocatalytic reaction promotes the conversion of CO₂ to fuels CO and CH₄. Mechanistic studies unveil that the generation of the 1,2-thiosulfonylation product occurs through the key radical ˙CH(R)CH₂SO₂R₂ intermediate. This photocatalytic strategy offers a new way to combine CO₂-to-fuel conversion and organic synthesis.