Application of fundamental organometallic chemistry to the development of a gold-catalyzed synthesis of sulfinate derivatives.

The development of a gold(I)-catalyzed sulfination of aryl boronic acids is described. This transformation proceeds through an unprecedented mechanism which exploits the reactivity of gold(I)-heteroatom bonds to form sulfinate anions. Further in situ elaboration of the sulfinate intermediates leads to the corresponding sulfones and sulfonamides, two pharmacophores routinely encountered in drug discovery.