Brønsted Acid-Mediated Hydrative Arylation of Unactivated Alkynes.
The Brønsted acid-mediated reaction of unactivated alkynes with aryl sulfoxides leads to simultaneous hydration and intermolecular C-C bond formation. This solvent- and metal-free transformation directly delivers α-arylated carbonyl compounds as the products of a formal hydrative arylation in an atom-economical manner. The products bear useful synthetic handles for further functionalization.