A new class of organocatalysts: sulfenate anions.

Sulfenate anions are known to act as highly reactive species in the organic arena. Now they premiere as organocatalysts. Proof of concept is offered by the sulfoxide/sulfenate-catalyzed (1-10 mol%) coupling of benzyl halides in the presence of base to generate trans-stilbenes in good to excellent yields (up to 99%). Mechanistic studies support the intermediacy of sulfenate anions, and the deprotonated sulfoxide was determined to be the resting state of the catalyst.