Thianthrenium ylide carbene transfer: situating synthetic innovation within historical catalysis, global sustainability, and inclusive knowledge systems

The use of sulfur ylides dates to the 1860s when German chemists employed dimethylsulfoxonium methylide for methylenation of carbonyls, a precursor to modern ylide chemistry. Over the twentieth century, sulfonium and sulfoxonium ylides became workhorses for olefination and cyclopropanation in academic labs, yet their evolution is rarely highlighted in contemporary breakthrough narratives. By situating thianthrenium ylides within this lineage, we see a pattern of incremental refinement rather than a radical departure, where each generation seeks to improve selectivity and reduce metal dependence. Recognizing this continuity counters the myth of isolated 'eureka' moments and highlights the cumulative nature of scientific progress.