Recent Advances of Sulfonylation Reactions in Water

Background: The sulfonyl groups are general structural moieties present in agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and natural products. Recently, many efforts have been focused on developing efficient procedures for preparation of organic sulfones. Materials and Methods: Water, a proton source, is considered one of the most ideal and promising solvents in organic synthesis for its easy availability, low cost, nontoxic and nonflammable characteristics. From the green and sustainable point of view, more and more reactions are designed proceeding in water. Objective: The review focuses on recent advances of sulfonylation reactions proceeding in water. Sulfonylation reactions using sodium sulfinates, sulfonyl hydrazides, sulfinic acids, and sulfonyl chlorides as sulfonating agents were introduced in detail. Results and Discussion: In this review, sulfonylation reactions proceeding in water developed in recent four yields were presented. Sulfonylation reactions using water as solvent have attracted more and more attention because water is one of the most ideal and promising solvents in organic synthesis for its facile availability, low cost, nontoxic and nonflammable properties. Conclusion: Numerous sulfonating agents such as sodium sulfinates, sulfonyl hydrazides, sulfinic acid, sulfonyl chlorides and disulfides are efficient for sulfonylation reactions which proceed in water.