Silver or cerium-promoted free radical cascade difunctionalization of o-vinylanilides with sodium aryl- or alkylsulfinates.

An efficient cascade oxysulfonylation of o-vinylanilides with sodium aryl- or alkylsulfinates by a free radical mechanism has been developed, which provides a mild, facile and convenient method for the synthesis of various benzoxazines. Control experiments, including gram-level reactions and mechanistic studies, are involved in the reaction system.