Arylsulfonyl Group: Activating Properties and Recent Synthetic Applications

The carbanion stabilizing effect induced by the arylsulfonyl group has dominated and typified the chemistry of this functional entity for a long time. In addition to this important feature, the activity of the arylsulfonyl moiety as a leaving group has been exploited and a plethora of exciting synthetic applications have been found. The base-or acid-promoted elimination of the sulfonyl group from of alpha-amido sulfones and sulfonyl indoles is able to produce the in situ generation of reactive N-acylimino and alkylideneindolenine intermediates that can be used in the diastereo and enantioselective synthesis of various amino and heterocyclic compounds.