MOF-Derived Subnanometer Cobalt Catalyst for Selective C−H Oxidative Sulfonylation of Tetrahydroquinoxalines with Sodium Sulfinates

The development and utilization of reusable base-metal catalysts is a central topic in catalysis. Herein, via a catalyst design strategy, we present the preparation of a highly dispersed and acid-resistant subnanometer cobalt catalyst (<1 nm) by a MOF-templated method, which has been utilized for selective C–H oxidative sulfonylation of tetrahydroquinoxalines with odorless sodium sulfinates. The transformation enables generation of a variety of sulfonylquinoxalines with the merits of good substrate and functional group compatibility, high regio- and chemoselectivity, and the use of a naturally abundant and reusable metal catalyst. The work presented offers the potential for further design of heterogeneous nanocatalysts and fabrication of functional products that are difficult to prepare or inaccessible by homogeneous catalysis.