Coupling of Sulfoxonium Ylides with Arynes: A Direct Synthesis of Pro-Chiral Aryl Ketosulfoxonium Ylides and Its Application in the Preparation of alpha-Aryl Ketones

A general, mild, and versatile synthesis of the challenging alpha-aryl-beta-ketosulfoxonium ylides has been developed for the first time, substituting traditional methods starting from diazo compounds. The arylation of easily accessible beta-ketosulfoxonium ylides using aryne chemistry allowed the preparation of a large scope of the pro-chiral ylides in very good yields (40 examples; up to 85%). As applications, these ylides were smoothly converted into alpha-aryl ketones after desulfurization in good yields (up to 98%) as well as in other important derivatives.