Vinylcyclopropane [3+2] Cycloaddition with Acetylenic Sulfones Based on Visible Light Photocatalysis

We describe the first intermolecular visible light [3+2] cycloaddition reaction being performed on a meta photocycloadduct employing acetylenic sulfones. The developed methodology exploits the advantages of combining UV and Visible light in a two-step sequence that provides a photogenerated cyclopropane which, through a strain-release process, generates a new cyclopentane ring while increasing significally the molecular complexity. This strategy could be extended to simpler vinylcyclopropanes.