A simple
and high-yielding strategy to produce a variety of β-keto
sulfides using asymmetrical and symmetrical thiosulfonates with ketones
under mild conditions is reported. It was found that the various substituted
compounds, with both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents,
afforded a wide range of β-keto thiosulfones (α-thioaryl-β-keto
sulfones) in moderate to high yields. The transformations were reliable
at the gram-scale, thus illustrating their efficiency and practicality.
A plausible mechanism for the protocol is also proposed.