Photoinduced Nickel-Mediated Radical Coupling Reaction of Sodium Sulfinates with <i>N</i>-Hydroxyphthalimide Esters

Aryl methyl sulfones represent a privileged structural motif in modern drug discovery due to their diverse biological activities and metabolic stability. However, conventional synthetic approaches for these valuable compounds typically necessitate harsh reaction conditions, including elevated temperatures, strong oxidants, or air-sensitive reagents, which significantly limit their applicability in pharmaceutical synthesis. Herein, we present a novel and efficient strategy for the synthesis of aryl methyl/trideuterated methyl sulfones through nickel-mediated radical coupling, which involves the synergistic combination of methyl radicals generated from <i>N</i>-hydroxyphthalimide (NHP) esters and sulfonyl radicals derived from sodium sulfinates. This protocol establishes a versatile platform for the efficient synthesis of diverse aromatic methyl sulfones and their trideuterated analogues under mild reaction conditions, demonstrating good functional group compatibility and a broad substrate scope.