Palladium Catalyzed Diaryl Sulfoxide Generation from Aryl Benzyl Sulfoxides and Aryl Chlorides

Diaryl sulfoxides are synthesized from aryl benzyl sulfoxides and aryl chlorides via three sequential catalytic cycles all promoted by a NiXantPhos-based palladium catalyst. The key step is S-arylation of a sulfenate anion. An air- and moisture-stable precatalyst derived from NiXantPhos efficiently facilitates the transformation. Various functional groups, including those with acidic protons, were tolerated. This method can also be extended to methyl and dibenzyl sulfoxides substrates.