Advances in the Synthesis of S-containing Cyclic Architectures via Insertion of SO2

Sulfur-containing heterocycles, where the S(R) moiety is in the cyclic structures, have been found tremendous applications in the field of chemistry, pharmaceutical, and materials sciences due to the unique chemical, biological and pharmaceutical activities. The recent years have witnessed an increasing interest in sulfur-containing heterocycles preparation and new methods were reported with modern methodologies and technologies through insertion of sulfur dioxide. The main objective of this mini-review is to overview the latest major developments for the synthesis of sulfur-containing heterocycles systems, mainly covering thermoinduced cyclization, photoinduced cyclization and electroninduced cyclization through the insertion of SO2. We wish to bring readers a comprehensive understanding and provide a positive outlook for the promising future of this field.