A cascade radical cyclization of 2-isocyanoaryl thioethers with H-phosphorus oxides, organoboronic acids, or alkyl radical precursors has been efficiently developed, providing a novel and highly efficient methodology to structurally diverse C2-substituted benzothiazole derivatives with broad functional group tolerance and good yields. This cascade radical process achieves the first cycloaddition of an imidoyl radical from isocyanide to sulfur atom, rending C(sp)-S bond formation.

A visible-light initiated oxidative cyclization of phenyl propiolates with sulfinic acids has been developed. The arylsulfonylation of alkynes was performed at room temperature under metal-free conditions to generate coumarin derivatives with wide functional group tolerance, good yields and high regioselectivity.

Nanopesticides were selected as one of the top 10 emerging technologies in chemistry that will change our world in 2019. Facile, smart, and degradable metal−organic framework MIL-101(Fe III ) nanopesticides gated with Fe III -tannic acid (TA) networks are created using a universal strategy. The capping of the Fe III -TA network gatekeepers is instinctively oriented by the coordinatively unsaturated Fe III sites on the surfaces of the MIL-101(Fe III ) nanocarriers; thus, their combination is perfectly matched. This is the first example that one smart gated nanoparticle is integrated with seven stimuli-responsive performances to meet the diverse controlled release of encapsulated cargos by the disassembly of the gatekeepers and/or the degradation of the nanocarriers. More importantly, each of the seven stimuli (acidic/alkaline pH, H 2 O 2 , glutathione, phosphates, ethylenediaminetetraacetate, and near-infrared light of sunlight) is closely related to the biological and natural environments of crops, and the biocompatible nanocarriers are eventually degraded against bioaccumulation even if the nanopesticides enter crops. These mechanisms of the stimuli-responsive controlled release are identified and clearly elaborated. It is found that the natural polyphenol can improve the wettability of aqueous droplets of nanopesticides on model hydrophobic foliage for pesticide adhesion and retention. The nanopesticides encapsulated with the fungicide tebuconazole show high fungicidal activities against pathogenic fungi Rhizoctonia solani (rice sheath blight) and Fusarium graminearum (wheat head blight); good safety on seed germination, seedling emergence, and plant height of wheat by seed dressing; and satisfactory control efficacy in wheat powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis in the greenhouse. The nanopesticides have potential applications in the field for high quality and yield of agricultural production.

The emergence of radical chemistry as well as green chemistry in organic synthesis has initiated an interest in photochemistry over the past decade. With catalytic amounts of photoredox catalysts under light irradiation, high active radical species are produced, which could trigger the subsequent organic transformations smoothly. Among the various photoredox reactions, photo‐catalytic C–S bond formation continues to thrive, as the C–S bond is indispensable in many important biological and pharmaceutical compounds. Great attention has been devoted to this area as illustrated by the series of papers on sulfone and sulfoxide skeleton synthesis under irradiation published in the past years. This review summarizing the recent advances in photo‐catalyzed sulfones and sulfoxide formation is arranged by reaction type together with the sulfur source covering sulfonylation and sulfinylation reactions. It is intended to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of photo‐catalytic C‐S bond formation and offer help for future research.