Sulfonium ylides derived from 2-hydroxy-benzoquinones: crystal and molecular structure and their one-step conversion into Mannich bases by amine N-oxides

Reaction of 2-hydroxy-para-benzoquinones with DMSO/Ac2O produced dimethylsulfonium ylides, of which crystal structures as well as solid and liquid state NMR spectra were recorded. The ylides react with tertiary methylamine N-oxides in a one-pot, multi-step process to 3-methylamino-substituted benzoquinones. The mechanism starts with a deoxygenative deprotonation of the amine N-oxides, followed by a formal electrophilic displacement of DMSO by the resulting carbonium–iminium ion.