Rauhut–Currier Reaction of Nitroalkenes with Vinyl Sulfones

The Rauhut–Currier reaction between nitroalkenes and vinyl sulfones has been successfully carried out for the first time. The reaction proceeds in the presence of an imidazole/LiCl catalyst system in dioxane to provide the adducts possessing a synthetically useful 1-bis-sulfonyl-3-nitroalkene moiety in good to excellent yield. A one-pot transformation of the products to β-sulfonyl-α,β-unsaturated ketoximes has also been demonstrated.