DMSO as a multifunctional reactant in recent organic synthesis

Abstract

Efficient, sustainable strategies for constructing carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds lie at the heart of modern organic synthesis. In recent decades, DMSO has emerged as a versatile and eco-friendly solvent, widely adopted not only for its solvent properties but also for its oxidant role in various organic transformations. Remarkably, DMSO can serve as an independent source of carbon, sulfur, and oxygen, facilitating the creation of new chemical entities with potential biological activity. This represents a significant milestone in organic sulfur chemistry. In this review, we have systematically compiled and categorised the latest advancements in this area, with a particular focus on the applications of DMSO as a single-, dual-, or multiple-atom synthon.