Synthesis of di(hetero)aryl sulfides by defluorinative sulfenylation of polyfluoroalkyl ketones with sodium sulfinates or arylsulfonyl chlorides

A facile incorporation of a privileged sulfide, a naphthofuran framework, and a perfluoroalkyl moiety in one molecule was successfully accomplished through tandem defluorinative sulfenylation of α-perfluoroalkyl ketones with a sulfur source. The reaction presumably proceeds via a sequence involving defluorination, reductive sulfenylation, autoaromatization, and annulation, accompanied by the simultaneous cleavage of four C(sp3)-F bonds and the formation of new C-S and C-O bonds.