Sulfonyl Azides as Precursors in Ligand-Free Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Sulfonyl Carbamates and Sulfonyl Ureas and Synthesis of Sulfonamides

An efficient synthesis of sulfonyl carbamates and sulfonyl ureas from sulfonyl azides employing a palladium-catalyzed carbonylation protocol has been developed. Using a two-chamber system, sulfonyl azides, PdCl2, and CO gas, released ex situ from Mo(CO)6, were assembled to generate sulfonyl isocyanates in situ, and alcohols and aryl amines were exploited as nucleophiles to afford a broad range of sulfonyl carbamates and sulfonyl ureas. A protocol for the direct formation of substituted sulfonamides from sulfonyl azides and amines via nucleophilic substitution was also developed.