A New Direct Synthesis of Sulfur Ylides

Maulide et al. have reported a new direct synthesis of sulfur ylides using Martin sulfurane, used as a dehydrating agent in general, in high yields from active methylene compounds or heteroaromatics. In particular, a difficult to access ylide bearing a bromine atom at the ylidic carbon was prepared in a single step. These reactions proceeded under mild conditions such as room temperature and short reaction times.