Hypervalent Organoiodine Promoted Dearylation Reaction of N-Aryl Sulfonamides

An efficient Dess-Martin periodinane (DMP)-promoted dearylation of N-arylsulfonamides was developed through a highly selective oxidative cleavage of the inert C(aryl)-N bonds in secondary sulfonamides while leaving the S-N bond unchanged. This metal-free reaction proceeds under mild conditions and provides access to various biologically important primary sulfonamides, some of which are otherwise unattainable using conventional aminolysis and hydrolysis methods. The concise and efficient dearylation reaction provides the use of an aryl group as a removable protecting sulfonamide group under metal catalyst-free conditions.