This brief summarizes the most commonly used sulfur dioxide surrogates
and also shows the diverse reactivities to highlight the advances made
in the development of synthetic methods through the insertion of sulfur
dioxide. Depending on the nature of the transformation, these reactions
are classified into four types: (i) pericyclic reactions; (ii)
nucleophilic addition with organometallic reagents; (iii) transition
metal catalysis; and (iv) free radical reactions.
Highlighting recent advances in the insertion of sulfur dioxide,
providing detailed descriptions of the experimental procedures for these
valuable reactions, and discussing the remaining challenges in this
field, the brief offers an appealing and highly useful guide for a wide
readership in organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry from both
academia and industry.