Synthesis of α-Carbonyl-α′-sulfenyl Sulfoxonium Ylides in Water at Room Temperature

An efficient synthesis of α-carbonyl-α'-sulfenyl sulfoxonium ylides through a KIO₃-promoted cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction of aryl thiols and α-carbonyl sulfoxonium ylides in an aqueous medium at room temperature has been described. The α-carbonyl sulfoxonium ylides and aryl thiols adorned with various functional groups were well-tolerated and afforded moderate to high yields of α-carbonyl-α<i>'</i>-sulfenyl sulfoxonium ylide derivatives. Finally, by converting synthesized ylide <b>3a</b> into other valuable compounds, we demonstrated the practicality of this synthetic method.