Transforming Oxadiazolines through Nitrene Intermediates by Energy Transfer Catalysis: Access to Sulfoximines and Benzimidazoles.

Subtle differences in reaction conditions facilitated unprecedented photocatalytic reactions of oxadiazolines by energy transfer catalysis. A set of compounds, sulfoximines and benzimidazoles, were ingeniously prepared from oxadiazolines via nitrene intermediates by photocatalytic N-O/C-N bond cleavages. The synthesis of sulfoximines was realized through intermolecular N-S bond formation between nitrene intermediates and sulfoxides, whereas benzimidazoles were obtained via intramolecular aromatic substitution of the nitrene to the tethered aryl substituent.