A facile and efficient synthesis of N-sulfonyl-N,N-disubstituted amidines has been achieved via a CuI-catalyzed three-component free-radical coupling reaction of tertiary amines
and arenesulfonyl azides with terminal alkynes in the presence of azodiisobutyronitrile (AIBN). The reaction mechanism of
this reaction has also been studied.
Keywords free radical – multicomponent reaction – sulfonyl azide – terminal alkyne