Recent Progress in Carbon-Carbon Bond Forming Reactions with α-Thiocarbocations

Abstract

Considerable attention has recently been directed towards the use of α-thiocarbocations to accomplish carbon-carbon bond forming reactions. In this article, our recent studies in this field are reviewed, dividing into four major topics : 1) electrophilic aromatic substitution, 2) ene reaction, 3) polar cycloaddition, and 4) olefin cyclization. Emphasis has been placed to the difference in reactivity between α-chlorosulfides and sulfoxides employed as precursors of the α-thiocarbocations. Applications of these methods to the natural products synthesis are also presented.