Amination of diaryl sulfoxides with anilines and alkylamines has been accomplished under palladium/N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis. Owing to its electron deficiency, the leaving arenesulfenate anion would be smoothly released from the palladium center to result in uneventful catalyst turnover under milder reaction conditions in comparison with previous C-S bond amination reactions. This amination accommodated a wider range of functional groups such as silyl, boryl, methylsulfanyl, and halogen moieties. Regioselective amination of unsymmetrical diaryl sulfoxides was also executed by means of steric bias.

Sonogashira–Hagihara-type alkynylation of diaryl sulfoxides with unactivated terminal alkynes has been developed. With a combination of a palladium–NHC catalyst and LiOtBu as a base, a series of diaryl sulfoxides were converted into the alkynylated products via C–S bond cleavage.

Arylboroxines in combination with zinc chloride and potassium tert-butoxide were found to undergo the electron-catalyzed cross-coupling with aryl iodides to give the corresponding biaryls without the aid of transition-metal catalysis.

Arylboroxines in combination with zinc chloride and potassium tert‐butoxide were found to undergo the electron‐catalyzed cross‐coupling with aryl iodides to give the corresponding biaryls without the aid of transition‐metal catalysis.