Transition-Metal-Free Cross-Coupling of Benzothiophenes and Styrenes in a Stereoselective Synthesis of Substituted (E,Z)-1,3-Dienes

A transition metal-free one-pot stereoselective approach to substituted (E,Z)-1,3-dienes was developed by using an interrupted Pummerer reaction/ligand-coupling strategy. Readily available benzothiophene S-oxides, which can be conveniently prepared by oxidation of the parent benzothiophenes, undergo Pummerer coupling with styrenes. Reaction of the resultant sulfonium salts with alkyllithium/magnesium reagents generates underexploited hypervalent sulfurane intermediates that undergo selective ligand coupling, resulting in dismantling of the benzothiophene motif and the formation of decorated (E,Z)-1,3-dienes.