Carbon-Carbon Bond-Forming Ligand Coupling through Sulfuranes in Organic Synthesis

• Applicant: Dr. Fumito Saito
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 500656103

Ligand coupling from hypervalent sulfur compounds, sulfuranes, allows the construction of carbon–carbon linkages between two organic fragments without using transition metal catalysts. Although pioneering studies on sulfurane-mediated ligand coupling demonstrated numerous carbon–carbon bond-forming (cross-)coupling reactions, this chemistry has been largely overlooked in organic synthesis over the past decades. I herein propose a research program to address unexplored aspects of sulfurane chemistry, namely modular synthesis of chiral sulfoxides, iterative synthesis of oligoheteroarenes, and expansion of substrate scope utilizing eta(6)-arene complexes. The outcome of my research will be important steps to establish a synthetic platform for sustainable, environmentally benign cross-couplings without relying on transition metals.

• DFG Programme: WBP Position