Photoinduced Copper‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Radical Sulfonylcyanation of Vinylarenes with Sulfonyl Cyanides

The radical difunctionalization of alkenes, which involves the simultaneous incorporation of two functional groups across a carbon‐carbon double bond, is emerging as a robust platform for step‐ and atom‐economical construction of valuable molecules from readily accessible starting materials. Given the significant importance and versatile applications of sulfonyl and cyano groups, we herein report, for the first time, a visible light‐induced copper‐catalyzed enantioselective radical sulfonylcyanation reaction of vinylarenes. This protocol utilizes readily prepared sulfonyl cyanides as a class of bifunctional reagents, and proceeds via a redox‐neutral process under mild reaction conditions. This methodology showcases a broad substrate scope and good functional group tolerance with respect to both components, thereby providing practical access to various chiral β‐sulfonyl nitriles with high yields and enantioselectivities.