The high abundance of C–H bonds in organic molecules makes C–H functionalization a powerful approach to quickly increase the complexity of an organic molecule. However, the high abundance of C–H bonds also provides a challenge to C–H functionalization reactions: selectivity. While most C–H functionalization reactions produce mixtures of different products for most substrates, we have developed a highly selective method for aromatic C–H functionalization via sulfonium salts. The reaction does not require a certain directing group to be selective. The introduced functional group is a sulfonium group, which participates in various follow-up reactions such as palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions and photoredox catalysis. Here we discuss our pathway to develop the reaction as well as its scope and utility.
1 Introduction
2 Site-Selective Synthesis of Sulfonium Salts
3 Sulfonium Salts in Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling
