Advances in the direct transformations of propargylic alcohols and sulphur-containing reagents

Sulphur-containing compounds are regarded as an important class of organic compounds that are widely applied in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, materials sciences, natural products, and organic synthesis. Consequently, the development of synthetic strategies for sulphur-containing compounds has become a prominent research topic in synthetic chemistry. Additionally, propargylic alcohols with unique bifunctional groups have emerged as promising and versatile synthons in organic synthesis. Over the past few decades (until the present), considerable efforts have been made to construct these compounds through the direct transformation of propargylic alcohols with various sulphur-containing reagents. This review systematically highlights these advances in the direct transformation of propargylic alcohols with sulphur-containing reagents for the construction of sulphur-containing compounds. Based on the different reaction mechanisms underlying these transformations, this review is divided into four sections: (1) base-promoted direct transformation of propargylic alcohols with sulphur-containing reagents; (2) acid-promoted/catalyzed direct transformation of propargylic alcohols with sulphur-containing reagents; (3) metal-catalyzed direct transformation of propargylic alcohols with sulphur-containing reagents; and (4) radical transformation of propargylic alcohols with sulphur-containing reagents.