Palladium-catalyzed domino cyclization/direct functionalization involving the insertion of SO2.

A reductive cross-coupling strategy for the synthesis of sulfone-containing oxindoles via palladium-catalyzed domino cyclization/alkylsulfonylation reaction of N-substituted arylacrylamides with unactivated alkyl bromides and Na₂S₂O₅ is presented. Moreover, using amines instead of alkyl bromides, a palladium-catalyzed domino cyclization/aminosulfonylation was also established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]