Light-induced controlled synthesis of arylsulfonyl oxindoles and arylsulfonyl amides under catalyst- and oxidant-free conditions

We report a highly efficient and mild light-induced Truce-Smiles rearrangement (TSR) reaction. Starting from a common N-arylsulfonyl acrylamide, the reaction products can be strategically switched by fine-tuning the reaction parameters, enabling the selective generation of either arylsulfonyl oxindoles or arylsulfonyl amides. This method operates under mild reaction conditions without the need for metal catalysts, photocatalysts, or oxidants. It offers high controllability and a broad substrate scope, thereby presenting significant potential for applications.