A new route to sulfonamides via intermolecular radical addition to pentafluorophenyl vinylsulfonate and subsequent aminolysis.

[reaction: see text] Various radical species generated from either the corresponding iodo- or bromo- compounds and tri-n-butyltin hydride were added in an intermolecular fashion to the activated acceptor pentafluorophenyl vinylsulfonate. The products of each reaction were then subjected to aminolysis with a variety of different amines.