Synthesis of Aryl Sulfones
1-(4-(Methanesulfonyl)phenyl)ethanone 2f: pale yellow
solid; mp 125-127 °C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 2.68 (s, 3
H), 3.09 (s, 3 H), 8.05 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz, 2 H), 8.13 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz,
2H); EI-MS (m/z) 198 (M+), 183, 167, 152, 139, 121, 104, 91,
76, 63, 43.
evidenced by that the reaction of 4-bromoanisole provided
the coupling product in only 46% yield (entry 7).
To further demonstrate the applicability of the present
procedure, iodide 4 derived from L-phenylalanine was
checked. It was found that reaction of 4 with sodium
methanesulfinate or sodium benzenesulfinate gave the
cross-coupling product 5 or 6 in good yields (Scheme 1).
These two products might serve as useful building blocks
for the synthesis of peptide mimics.
1-(Trifluoromethyl)-3-(methanesulfonyl)benzene 2g:
1
white solid; mp 58-60 °C; H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.11
(s, 3H), 7.76 (t, J ) 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.93 (d, J ) 8.4 Hz, 1H), 8.16
(d, J ) 8.0 Hz, 1H); 8.23 (s, 1H); EI-MS (m/z) 224 (M+), 209,
205, 193, 177, 162, 145, 125, 114, 95, 75, 63, 50, 39.
In conclusion, we have reported here a more effective
Cu(I) catalytic system, which allowed for coupling reac-
tion of aryl halides with sulfinic acid salts at relatively
low temperatures and was suitable for more substrates
especially to aryl bromides. A wide range of functional
groups such as hydroxyl, amino, acetanilide, ketone,
ester, and nitrile groups were compatible with the
present reaction conditions, which would permit to as-
semble aryl sulfones with great diversity. Further ap-
plications to the synthesis of biologically important
molecules and mechanism studies are in progress.
Methyl 4-(methanesulfonyl)benzoate 2h: white solid;
1
mp 118-120 °C; H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.09 (s, 3 H),
3.98 (s, 3H), 8.03 (d, J ) 7.4 Hz, 2H), 8.22 (d, J ) 7.4 Hz, 2H);
EI-MS (m/z) 214 (M+), 199, 183, 166, 152, 135, 121, 104, 91,
77, 57, 43.
2-(Methanesulfonyl)thiophene 2i: white solid; mp 45-
47 °C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.19 (s, 3H), 7.61 (m, 1H),
7.73 (m, 2H); EI-MS (m/z) 162 (M+), 147, 131, 115, 99, 83, 71,
57, 45, 39.
3-Methanesulfonylpyridine 2j: white solid; mp 52-54 °C;
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.13 (s, 3H), 7.54 (m, 1H), 8.24
(m, 1H), 8.90 (m, 1H), 9.18 (d, J ) 2.3 Hz, 1H); EI-MS (m/z)
157 (M+), 142, 126, 110, 95, 82, 78, 66, 51.
1-Methyl-2-(methanesulfonyl)benzene 2k: white solid;
mp 54-56 °C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 2.72 (s, 3H), 3.09
(s, 3H), 7.35 (m, 1H), 7.38 (m, 1H), 7.52 (m, 1H), 8.03 (m, 1H);
EI-MS (m/z) 170 (M+), 155, 107, 91, 77, 65, 51, 39.
1-(Methanesulfonyl)naphthalene 2m: yellow solid; mp
99-101 °C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.22 (s, 3H), 7.61
(m, 1H), 7.63 (m, 1H), 7.73 (m, 1H), 7.99 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz, 1H),
8.13 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz, 1H), 8.35 (m, 1H), 8.73 (m, 1H); EI-MS
(m/z) 206 (M+), 191, 183, 175, 143, 127, 115, 101, 91, 77, 63,
51, 39.
4-Methanesulfonyl-1-phenylbenzene 2n: yellow solid;
mp 139-141 °C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.10 (s, 3H),
7.45 (m, 3H), 7.61 (d, J ) 7.8 Hz, 2H), 7.77 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz,
2H), 8.01 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz, 2H); EI-MS (m/z) 232 (M+), 217, 201,
185, 169, 152, 141, 127, 115, 76.
Experimental
General Procedure for Coupling Reaction of 4-Io-
doanisole with CH3SO2Na (Table 1). A mixture of 4-io-
doanisole (1 mmol), sodium methanesulfunate (1.2 mmol),
copper salt (0.1 mmol), amino acid (0.2 mmol), and base (0.2
mmol) (or 0.2 mmol of proline sodium salt) in 2 mL of DMSO
in a sealed tube was heated at 80 °C under argon for 24 h.
The cooled mixture was partitioned between ethyl acetate and
water. The organic layer was separated, and the aqueous layer
was extracted with ethyl acetate twice. The combined organic
layers were washed with brine, dried over MgSO4, and
concentrated in vacuo. The residual oil was loaded on a silica
gel column and eluted with petroleum ether to afford the
product.
General Procedure for CuI-Catalyzed Coupling of
Aryl Halides and Sodium Methanesulfunate. A mixture
of aryl halide (1 mmol), sodium methanesulfunate (1.2 mmol),
copper iodide (0.1 mmol), L-proline sodium salt (0.2 mmol), and
2 mL of DMSO in a sealed tube was heated to 80 or 95 °C (for
aryl bromides) under argon. The cooled mixture was parti-
tioned between ethyl acetate and water. The organic layer was
separated, and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl
acetate twice. The combined organic layers were washed with
brine, dried over MgSO4, and concentrated in vacuo. The
residual oil was loaded on a silica gel column and eluted with
4:1 petroleum ether/ethyl acetate to afford the product.
1-Methoxy-4-(methanesulfonyl)benzene 2a: white solid;
mp 118-120 °C; 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.05 (s, 3H),
3.90 (s, 3H), 7.04 (dd, J ) 7.5, 2.1 Hz, 2H), 7.88 (dd, J ) 7.5,
2.1 Hz, 2H); EI-MS (m/z) 186 (M+), 171, 155, 139, 123, 107,
92, 77, 63.
1-Methyl-4-(methanesulfonyl)benzene 2b: white solid;
mp 85-87 °C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 2.46 (s, 3H), 3.04
(s, 3H), 7.36 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz, 2H), 7.82 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz, 2H);
EI-MS (m/z) 170 (M+), 155, 139, 121, 107, 91, 77, 65, 51, 39.
4-(Methanesulfonyl)phenol 2c: white solid; mp 94-96 °C;
1H NMR (300 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 3.09 (s, 3H), 6.93 (m, 2H),
7.71 (m, 2H), 10.6 (br s, 1H); EI-MS (m/z) 172 (M+), 157, 141,
109, 94, 79, 65, 43.
4-Methanesulfonylbenzonitrile 2o: white solid; mp 142-
144 °C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.10 (s, 3H), 7.90 (m
2H), 8.09 (m, 2H); EI-MS (m/z) 181 (M+), 166, 150, 119, 102,
75.
tert-Butyl (S)-1-(Methoxycarbonyl)-2-(4-(methanesulfo-
nyl)phenyl)ethylcarbamate 5: yellow solid; mp 78-80 °C;
[R]23D ) +44.9 (c ) 1.1, CHCl3); 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ
1.41 (s, 9H), 3.05 (s, 3H), 3.05-3.20 (m, 2H), 3.74 (s, 3H), 4.62
(m, 1H), 5.09 (d, J ) 7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.35 (d, J ) 7.8 Hz, 2H),
7.87 (d, J ) 7.8 Hz, 2H); 13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3) δ 171.4,
154.6, 142.6, 138.7, 129.9, 127.0, 79.6, 53.7, 52.0, 43.0, 37.7,
27.8; ESI-MS (m/z) 380.2 (M + Na)+; ESI HRMS found m/z
380.1146 (M + Na)+, C16H23NO6SNa requires 380.1144;
General Procedure for CuI-Catalyzed Coupling of
Aryl Halides and Sodium Benzenesulfonate. A mixture
of aryl halide (1 mmol), sodium benzenesulfonate (1.2 mmol),
copper iodide (0.1 mmol), L-proline sodium salt (0.2 mmol), and
2 mL of DMSO in a sealed tube was heated at the temperature
indicated in Table 3 under argon. After 24 or 36 h (for aryl
bromides), the cooled mixture was partitioned between ethyl
acetate and water. The organic layer was separated, and the
aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate twice. The
combined organic layers were washed with brine, dried over
MgSO4, and concentrated in vacuo. The residual oil was loaded
on a silica gel column and eluted with 4:1 petroleum ether/
ethyl acetate to afford the product.
N-(4-Methanesulfonylphenyl)acetamide 2d: yellow solid;
mp 185-187 °C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 2.23 (s, 3H),
3.04 (s, 3H), 7.60 (s, 1H), 7.72 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz, 2H), 7.87 (d, J
) 8.2 Hz, 2H); EI-MS (m/z) 213 (M+), 198, 171, 156, 140, 108,
92, 81, 65.
1-(p-Tolylsulfonyl)benzene 3a: white solid; mp 125-127
°C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 2.40 (s, 3H), 7.29 (d, J ) 8.3
Hz, 2H), 7.50 (m, 3H), 7.82 (d, J ) 8.2 Hz, 2H), 7.93 (m, 2H);
EI-MS (m/z) 232 (M+), 184, 165, 152, 139, 125, 107, 91, 77, 65,
51, 39.
4-Methanesulfonylaniline 2e: yellow solid; mp 136-138
1
°C; H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.00 (s, 3H), 4.22 (br, 2H),
6.71 (m 2H), 7.69 (m, 2H); EI-MS (m/z) 171 (M+), 156, 140,
4-(Benzenesulfonyl)phenol 3b: brown solid; mp 135-137
1
108, 92, 80, 65.
°C; H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 5.28 (br s, 1H), 6.88 (d, J )
J. Org. Chem, Vol. 70, No. 7, 2005 2699