Fe-based metal-organic frameworks for the synthesis of N-arylsulfonamides via the reactions of sodium arylsulfinates or arylsulfonyl chlorides with nitroarenes in water

A newly developed chemoselective reaction of sodium arylsulfinates or arylsulfonyl chlorides with nitroarenes has been disclosed. The chemistry, in which non-toxic water and recyclable iron-based metal-organic frameworks are employed as the solvent and catalyst, respectively, provides an efficient approach for the generation of N-arylsulfonamides, which are widely present in biologically active compounds and drugs, rendering this methodology attractive to both synthetic and medicinal chemistry.