This
study unveils palladium-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative
cyclizations in biaryl and
heterobiaryl sulfones providing direct access to fused biaryl sulfones
(dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxides). Variously substituted dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxides
could be readily prepared in good to excellent yields under optimized
conditions. In addition, bromination afforded dibromo derivative of
dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxides, providing platform for late-stage diversification.
The translational applications of this current protocol have successfully
been demonstrated in the synthesis of 2,8-diamino derivative of dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxides,
a α
7
-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist analogue,
and novel single fluorene-tethered dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxide, an
organic emitter.