As the "chemical chameleon", sulfonyl-containing compounds and their variants have been merged with various types of reactions for the efficient construction of diverse molecular architectures by taking advantage of their incredible reactive flexibility. Currently, their involvement in radical transformations, in which the sulfonyl group typically acts as a leaving group via selective C−S, N−S, O−S, S−S, and Se−S bond cleavage/ functionalization, has facilitated new bond formation strategies which are complementary to classical two-electron cross-couplings via organometallic or ionic intermediates. Considering the great influence and synthetic potential of these novel avenues, we summarize recent advances in this rapidly expanding area by discussing the reaction designs, substrate scopes, mechanistic studies, and their limitations, outlining the state-of-the-art processes involved in radical-mediated desulfonylation and related transformations. With a specific emphasis on their synthetic applications, we believe this review will be useful for medicinal and synthetic organic chemists who are interested in radical chemistry and radical-mediated desulfonylation in particular. CONTENTS

The copper­(II)-mediated ring opening/alkynylation of cyclopropanol by employing inexpensive and commercially available terminal alkyne is developed. The reactions proceeded efficiently to afford synthetically useful alk-4-yn-1-ones in moderate to good yields with good functional group tolerance. Control experiments showed that the reaction presumably proceeds via the formation of intermediates of copper homoenolate and/or alkynylcopper species.

The direct cross-couplings of heterocyclic phosphonium salts with aryl bromides could be successfully realized by performing the reactions in THF at ambient temperature with the aid of nickel(II) catalyst, 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione...

An unprecedented and expeditious tandem bisannulation of polyfluoroalkylated tetralones with benzamidines to access various fluoroalkyl tetracyclic [1,3]-diazepines through multiple C–N bond formation and C­(sp3)–F bond cleavage is reported. The process features high regio-/chemoselectivities, broad substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, procedural simplicity, mild reaction conditions, and scale-up synthesis. Mechanistic studies showed that the distinctive fluorine effect of polyfluoroalkyl tetralone plays a vital role for the aza-tetracycle construction.

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