Fig. 1: Cross-coupling reactions employing sulfoxides as electrophiles.

a Nickel-catalyzed Kumada coupling reaction of diaryl sulfoxides. b Palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira coupling reaction of diaryl sulfoxides. c Palladium-catalyzed borylation of diaryl sulfoxides. d Buchwald-Hartwig amination of diaryl sulfoxides and amines. e Nickel-catalyzed Negishi coupling reaction of aryl methyl sulfoxides. f This work: transition-metal-free formal cross-coupling of aryl methyl sulfoxides and alcohols.