Ruthenium catalyzed α-methylation of sulfones with methanol as a sustainable C1 source

Abstract

Methylation of sulfones, which have an α-CH bond, can be easily achieved via a one-step, Ru(II) catalyzed redox neutral reaction using methanol as a sustainable C1 building block. The reaction requires a stoichiometric amount of base and generates only water as a byproduct. A series of value-added methylated sulfones with various functional groups are produced under the reaction conditions from readily available substrates. Mechanism studies shows that a sulfone carbanion addition to an in situ generated aldehyde formed via catalytic dehydrogenation and subsequent catalyst mediated reduction of the alkene by hydrogen may be involved.