Sulfonylation of Benzylic C-H Bonds through the Reaction of Aryl(o-tolyl)methanones with Sulfonyl Hydrazides or Sulfonyl Chlorides.

A sulfonylation of benzylic C-H bonds of aryl(o-tolyl)methanones with arylsulfonyl hydrazides or arylsulfonyl chlorides has been developed. Arylsulfonyl hydrazides and arylsulfonyl chlorides were employed as sulfonylating reagents respectively to complete this transformation. During the reaction, enols were generated in situ from aryl(o-tolyl)methanones under UV irradiation, and subsequently reacted with sulfonyl radicals to provide a range of aryl(2-(arylsulfonylmethyl)aryl)methanones.