Synthesis of sulfur-containing heterocycles through oxidative carbon-hydrogen bond functionalization.

Vinyl sulfides react rapidly and efficiently with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) to form α,β-unsaturated thiocarbenium ions through oxidative carbon-hydrogen bond cleavage. These electrophiles couple with appended π-nucleophiles to yield sulfur-containing heterocycles through carbon-carbon bond formation. Several nucleophiles are compatible with the procedure, and the reactions generally proceed through readily predictable transition states.