Advances in Vinyl Sulfone Catalyzed Synthesis: Methods, Mechanisms and Perspectives

Abstract Vinyl sulfones are conjugated systems composed of C=C and S=O, which are considered to be significant building blocks in organic synthesis and as coupling agents because they can serve as Michael acceptors as well as 2π‐partners in cycloaddition reactions. The attractive bioactivity and unique chemical properties of the vinyl sulfone skeleton have led to its extensive study in organic synthesis and pharmaceutical chemistry. However, a systematic and comprehensive review of the routes for the catalytic synthesis of vinyl sulfones have not been carried out so far. In this paper, the applications of vinyl sulfone structures in biomolecular and organic syntheses are briefly investigated, and the current methods for the synthesis of vinyl sulfone structures in recent years using different catalysts are systematically reviewed and analyzed. Finally, the future opportunities and challenges for the synthesis and application of vinyl sulfone compounds are discussed.