Denitrative Sulfonylation of Nitroarenes with Sodium Sulfinates

Abstract A one-step method to convert nitroarenes into aryl sulfones under operationally simple, transition-metal-free conditions is described. A range of nitroarenes were reacted with sodium sulfinates and caesium carbonate in N,N′-dimethylpropyleneurea to afford aryl sulfones in up to 83% yield.