Sulfonium ions reductive cleavage

The proposed mechanism of the oxidative cleavage of S-protecting groups by the chlorosilane/sulfoxide procedure is outlined in Scheme 8. 95 The first reaction is considered to be formation of the sulfonium cation 9 from diphenyl sulfoxide (7) and the oxygenophilic silyl compound 8. The formation of a sulfonium ion of this type is known and has been utilized for the reduction of sulfoxides. 97 Subsequent electrophilic attack of 9 on the sulfur atom of the S-protected cysteine residue leads to the formation of intermediate 10, whereby the nature of the silyl chloride employed should be the main factor that influences the electrophilicity of 9. The postulated intermediate 10 may then act as the electrophile and react with another S-protected cysteine residue to generate the disulfide 11 and the inert byproduct diphenyl sulfide (12). This final step is analogous to the reaction of a sulfenyl iodide as discussed in Section 6.1.1.2.1. 

The [Fe4S4(LS3)(SR )] cluster has been shown to engage in an electrophilic attack of the sulfonium ion, while causing reductive cleavage of the cofactor S-adenosylmethionine. This behavior is analogous to the enzymatic action of biotin synthase and other enzymes in the S-adenosylmethionine family see Iron-Sulfur Proteins). ... 

The reduction of benzo-fused bicyclic sulfonium ions with samarium diiodide also results in the cleavage of the —C bonds. However, as shown in Scheme 9, the regioselectivity here depends on... 

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