Interrupted Pummerer reactions redirect the activated sulfoxide intermediate before the classical product-forming step. An external or tethered nucleophile captures the intermediate and opens alternative bond-forming pathways.
Why the interrupted pathway matters
The approach can assemble complex heterocycles while combining sulfur activation with carbon–carbon or carbon–heteroatom bond formation. Intramolecular variants are especially useful when conformational control favors selective cyclization.
Design variables
Substrate geometry, nucleophile strength, activator choice, and reaction temperature all influence the product distribution. Small-scale scouting experiments are recommended before scale-up.