Nitroarylamines via the Vicarious Nucleophilic Substitution of Hydrogen:  Amination, Alkylamination, and Arylamination of Nitroarenes with Sulfenamides

A new reaction of sulfenamides with electrophilic arenes under basic conditions is described. The σ adducts formed from nitroarenes and the anions of sulfenamides undergo elimination of thiol to produce the corresponding o- and/or p- nitroanilines. This reaction is analogous to the known alkylation and hydroxylation of nitroarenes via the vicarious nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (VNS). The reaction gives access to a wide range of substituted nitroanilines, nitronaphthylamines, and aminoheterocycles. By means of the reaction with N -alkyl- and N -arylsulfenamides, it is possible to obtain N -alkylnitroanilines and nitrodiarylamines. By varying the structure of sulfenamide and the reaction conditions, particularly the nature and concentration of the base, it is possible to control the orientation of amination.