Regioselective Divergent Benzannulations of Vinyl Sulfoxonium Ylides with Electron-Deficient Alkynes

Herein, we report a regioselective [4 + 2] benzannulation strategy for the efficient synthesis of <i>m</i>-terphenyls and naphthalenes from vinyl sulfoxonium ylides, thiophenols, and electron-deficient alkynes. The selectivity of the benzannulation is governed by the nature of the ylide's stabilizing group. This modular approach features a broad substrate scope and enables streamlined access to highly substituted arenes with significant synthetic versatility.