Regioselective Sulfonylation/Acylation of Carbohydrates Catalyzed by FeCl3 Combined with Benzoyltrifluoroacetone and Its Mechanism Study.

A catalytic amount of FeCl3 combined with benzoyl trifluoroacetone (Hbtfa) (FeCl3/Hbtfa = 1/2) was used to catalyze sulfonylation/acylation of diols and polyols using diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) or potassium carbonate (K2CO3) as a base. The catalytic system exhibited high catalytic activity, leading to excellent isolated yields of sulfonylation/acylation products with high regioselectivities. Mechanism studies indicated that FeCl3 initially formed [Fe(btfa)3] (btfa = benzoyl trifluoroacetonate) with twice the amount of Hbtfa under basic conditions in the solvent acetonitrile at room temperature. Then, Fe(btfa)3 and two hydroxyl groups of the substrates formed a five- or six-membered ring intermediate in the presence of the base. The subsequent reaction between the cyclic intermediate and a sulfonylation reagent led to the selective sulfonylation of the substrate. All key intermediates were captured in the high-resolution mass spectrometry assay, therefore demonstrating this mechanism for the first time.