CAS 402-27-7

3-cyanobenzenesulfonyl fluoride

Sulfonyl Fluorides

About This Compound

Sulfonyl fluorides are key building blocks in Sulfur(VI) Fluoride Exchange (SuFEx) click chemistry — one of the most robust click reactions introduced by Sharpless and colleagues. The SO₂F group reacts selectively with nucleophiles such as phenols, amines, and silyl ethers under mild conditions, forming stable sulfonate or sulfonamide linkages. These compounds are widely used in chemical biology for covalent protein labeling, activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), and the construction of molecular probes.

Related Reactions: Nucleophilic Ring-Opening
Molecular FormulaC7H4FNO2S Molecular Weight185.179 g/mol InChIKeyXHDHNTIGKYTAGT-UHFFFAOYSA-N CAS Registry402-27-7 Literature Refs10 references

Synthesis Routes

Showing 3 of 9 available routes, sorted by yield.

Route 1

1 step Yield: 89%
3-cyanobenzenesulfonyl fluoride
Conditions
Reference Current Patent Assignee: GLAXO GROUP - WO2006/38006, 2006, A2 Location in patent: Page/Page column 24; 35
Source Reaxys

Route 2

1 step Yield: 72%
3-cyanobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate
BF4*C7H4N3
3-cyanobenzenesulfonyl fluoride
Conditions With sodium metabisulfite; N-fluorobis(benzenesulfon)imide In water; acetonitrile at 60℃; for 6h; In
Reference Liu, Shuai; Huang, Yangen; Xu, Xiu-Hua; Qing, Feng-Ling [Journal of Fluorine Chemistry, 2020, vol. 240] DOI
Source Reaxys

Route 3

1 step Yield: 65%
3-cyanobenzenesulfonyl fluoride
CAS 402-27-7
C7H4FNO2S
+
phenylboronic acid
CAS 98-80-6
C6H7BO2
3-cyanobenzenesulfonyl fluoride
Conditions With potassium phosphate; palladium diacetate; ruphos In N,N-dimethyl-formamide at 120℃; for 12h; Sc
Reference Zhang, Guofu; Guan, Chenfei; Zhao, Yiyong; Miao, Huihui; Ding, Chengrong [New Journal of Chemistry, 2022, vol. 46, # 8, p. 3560 - 3564] DOI
Source Reaxys
6 additional routes available in the full dataset. Contact us for complete synthesis route data.

Related Compounds

Other Sulfonyl Fluorides in our catalog:

Frequently Asked Questions

How should sulfonyl fluoride compounds be stored?

Store in a sealed container at room temperature, protected from moisture. Sulfonyl fluorides are generally stable to ambient humidity for weeks, but prolonged exposure to water can lead to hydrolysis of the SO₂F group. For long-term storage, keep under inert atmosphere (N₂ or Ar) at −20 °C.

What nucleophiles are compatible with SuFEx reactions?

SuFEx reactions selectively target silyl ethers, phenols, primary and secondary amines, and activated alcohols. Thiols and carboxylic acids generally do not react with sulfonyl fluorides under standard conditions, providing excellent chemoselectivity in complex biological environments.

What catalysts are commonly used for SuFEx?

Common SuFEx catalysts include BTMG (2-tert-butyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine), BEMP, and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP). Base-catalyzed SuFEx typically proceeds at room temperature in organic solvents such as DMSO, DMF, or MeCN.

Are sulfonyl fluorides safe to handle in the lab?

Sulfonyl fluorides are generally safer and more stable than sulfonyl chlorides. However, standard PPE (gloves, goggles, fume hood) should be used. Avoid contact with strong bases and nucleophilic solvents. Small-molecule sulfonyl fluorides may have acute toxicity — always consult the SDS before use.

How do I purify sulfonyl fluoride products?

Most sulfonyl fluorides can be purified by silica gel column chromatography using hexane/ethyl acetate gradients. They are generally stable to standard chromatographic conditions. Alternatively, recrystallization from EtOAc/hexane works well for crystalline products.

Last updated: July 27, 2026