A copper(I)-catalyzed sulfonylative Hiyama cross-coupling

An air-tolerant Cu-catalyzed sulfonylative Hiyama cross-coupling reaction enabling the formation of diaryl sulfones is described. Starting from aryl silanes, DABSO and aryliodides, the reaction tolerates a large variety of polar functional groups (amines, ketones, esters, aldehydes). Control experiments coupled with DFT calculations shed light on the mechanism, where the reductive elimination showcases an usual high energy barrier for a Cu(III)/Cu(I) process.