N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed SuFEx reactions of functionalized secondary alcohols

An organocatalytic Sulfur (VI)-fluoride exchange (SuFEx) reaction of secondary alcohols is reported. Under the catalysis of 10 mol% NHC/MS 4Å, both trifluoromethyl and difluoromethyl benzyl alcohols reacted with aryl sulfonyl fluorides to produce the corresponding sulfonates in moderate to high yields.