Abstract: Sulfur ylides are the most important and widely applied reagent in the realm of synthetic organic chemistry. These versatile reagents have found extensive use as one-carbon synthons in numerous classical transformations.1 In modern studies, new types of sulfur ylide precursors, such as vinyl, allyl, and propargyl sulfonium salts, have emerged as powerful and versatile building blocks for devising various cyclization reactions.2 They also serve as C2 and C3 synthons.3

Scheme 1: The versatile reactivities of sulfur ylide.
In this context, the synthetic utility of sulfur ylides is exemplified through a detailed exposition of their applications. Notably, their involvement in rearrangement, cycloaddition, and metal-mediated reactions are highlighted. Additionally, the annulation reaction of in situ generated sulfur ylides from vinyl, propargyl, and allyl sulfonium salts will be discussed.
References:
1) Mondal, M.; Connolly, S.; Chen, S.; Mitra, S.; Kerrigan, N. J.; Organics, 2022, 3, 320–363.
2) Matlock, J. V.; Fritz, S. P.; Harrison, S. A.; Coe, D. M.; McGarrigle, E. G.; Aggarwal, V. K.; J. Org. Chem., 2014, 79, 10226−10239.
3) Li, Q. Z.; Zou, W. L.; Jia, Z. Q.; Li, J. L.; Synthesis., 2022, 54, 67–78.