K2CO3/TFAA-activated diarylation of α-sulfonyl o-hydroxyacetophenones with o-nitroaryl disulfides to construct sulfonyl bis-o-nitroaryl acetophenones

Abstract

A concise K₂CO₃/TFAA-mediated diarylation of readily accessible sulfonyl o-hydroxyacetophenones with o-nitroaryl disulfides is described. This single-step strategy provides a variety of functionalized sulfonyl C- and O-bis-o-nitroaryl acetophenones via the formation of one carbon–carbon single bond and one carbon–oxygen single bond. A plausible mechanism is proposed and discussed. The molecular structures of key products were determined by X-ray analysis.