Electro‐Oxidative S−H/S−H Cross‐Coupling with Hydrogen Evolution: Facile Access to Unsymmetrical Disulfides

Facile and efficient transformation of thiols to disulfides via a radical pathway with N-anomeric amide

Radical coupling of thiols is an attractive route for the synthesis of disulfides, but this approach should be promoted by strong oxidants and/or metal salts in combination with additives, which limits its substrate scope and application. In this work, the N-anomeric amide was first found to be able to realize the conversion of thiols to sulfur radicals with high efficiency in the absence of an oxidant or any additives for the synthesis of symmetrical disulfides. The protocol features mild reaction conditions, good functional group tolerance, and moderate to excellent yields.

Electroreductive Desulfurative Transformations with Thioethers as Alkyl Radical Precursors

Thioethers are highly prevalent functional groups in organic compounds of natural and synthetic origin but remain remarkably underexplored as starting materials in desulfurative transformations. As such, new synthetic methods are highly desirable to unlock the potential of the compound class. In this vein, electrochemistry is an ideal tool to enable new reactivity and selectivity under mild conditions. Herein, we demonstrate the efficient use of aryl alkyl thioethers as alkyl radical precursors in electroreductive transformations, along with mechanistic details. The transformations proceed with complete selectivity for C(sp3 )-S bond cleavage, orthogonal to that of established transition metal-catalyzed two-electron routes. We showcase a hydrodesulfurization protocol with broad functional group tolerance, the first example of desulfurative C(sp3 )-C(sp3 ) bond formation in Giese-type cross-coupling and the first protocol for electrocarboxylation of synthetic relevance with thioethers as starting materials. Finally, the compound class is shown to outcompete their well-established sulfone analogues as alkyl radical precursors, demonstrating their synthetic potential for future desulfurative transformations in a one-electron manifold.

PPh3/I2 Promoted Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Disulfides from Sodium Sulfites and 2-Mercaptobenzo Heterocyclics

A simple and efficient method for the synthesis of unsymmetrical disulfides is reported. Using sodium sulfites and 2-mercaptobenzo heterocyclic compounds as starting materials, the unsymmetrical sulfur-sulfur bonds could be quickly constructed in the PPh3/I2 reaction system under transition-metal-free conditions. This protocol has the advantages of mild reaction conditions, easily available starting materials, and wide substrate scope, showing potential synthetic value for the synthesis of a diversity of biologically or pharmaceutically active compounds.

Tuning Selectivity in the Visible-Light-Promoted Coupling of Thiols with Alkenes by EDA vs TOCO Complex Formation

The visible-light-promoted catalyst-free condition has been demonstrated for self- and cross-coupling reactions of thiols in an ambient atmosphere. Further, synthesis of β-hydroxysulfides is accomplished under very mild conditions involving the formation of an electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex between a disulfide and an alkene. However, the direct reaction of thiol with alkene via the formation of a thiol-oxygen co-oxidation (TOCO) complex failed to produce the desired compounds in high yields. The protocol was successful with several aryl and alkyl thiols for the formation of disulfides. However, the formation of β-hydroxysulfides required an aromatic unit on the disulfide fragment, which supports the formation of the EDA complex during the course of the reaction. The approaches presented in this paper for the coupling reaction of thiols and the synthesis of β-hydroxysulfides are unique and do not require toxic organic or metal catalysts.

Nickel(ii)/TPMPP catalyzed reductive coupling of oxalates and tetrasulfides: synthesis of unsymmetric disulfides

A Ni(ii)/TPMPP-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling reaction of benzyl oxalates and tetrasulfides to synthesize unsymmetric disulfides is reported.

Electrochemical Desaturative β-Acylation of Cyclic N-Aryl Amines

Herein, we disclose a straightforward, robust, and simple route to access β-substituted desaturated cyclic amines via an electrochemically driven desaturative β-functionalization of cyclic amines. This transformation is based on multiple single-electron oxidation processes using catalytic amounts of ferrocene. The reaction proceeds in the absence of stoichiometric amounts of electrolyte under mild conditions, affording the desired products with high chemo- and regioselectivity. The reaction was tolerant of a broad range of substrates and also enables late-stage β-C(sp³ )-H acylation of potentially valuable products. Preliminary mechanistic studies using cyclic voltammetry reveal the key role of ferrocene as a redox mediator in the reaction.

Electrochemical Heteroatom-Heteroatom Bond Construction

Heteroatom-heteroatom linkage, with S-S bond as a presentative motif, served a crucial role in biochemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and material sciences. Thus, preparation of the privileged scaffold has always been attracting tremendous attention from the synthetic community. However, classic protocols suffered from several drawbacks, such as toxic and unstable agents, poor functional group tolerance, multiple steps, and explosive oxidizing regents as well as the transitional metal catalysts. Electrochemical organic synthesis exhibited a promising alternative to the traditional chemical reaction due to the sustainable electricity can be employed as the traceless redox agents. Hence, toxic and explosive oxidants and/or transitional metals could be discarded under mild reaction with high efficiency. In this context, a series of electrochemical approaches for the construction of heteroatom-heteroatom bond were reviewed. Notably, most of the cases illustrated the dehydrogenative feature with the clean energy molecules hydrogen as the sole by-product.

Recent Advances in the Electrochemical Synthesis of Organosulfur Compounds

Organosulfur compounds are being widely used in medicinal chemistry, as well as in organic transformations and in synthetic applications. Because of their interest in many areas, the development of sustainable and green synthetic methods to access various organosulfur compounds has a high influence on the chemistry community. Electroorganic synthesis has become a very valuable methodology for the synthesis of organosulfur compounds during the last decade. The use of electrochemical technology offers a green, sustainable and safe alternative to prepare and modify such compounds. This review summarises recent developments in the preparation of organosulfur compounds such as sulfoxides, sulfones, sulfinic esters, sulfonamides, thiosulfonates, sulfonyl fluorides and sulfoximines under electrochemical reaction conditions.

Electrochemical Oxidative Carbon-Atom Difunctionalization: Towards Multisubstituted Imino Sulfide Ethers

Ethers (C-O/S) are ubiquitously found in a wide array of functional molecules and natural products. Nonetheless, the synthesis of imino sulfide ethers, containing an N(sp² )=C(sp² )-O/S fragment, still remains a challenge because of its sensitivity to acid. Developed here in is an unprecedented electrochemical oxidative carbon-atom difunctionalization of isocyanides, providing a series of novel multisubstituted imino sulfide ethers. Under metal-free and external oxidant-free conditions, isocyanides react smoothly with simple and readily available mercaptans and alcohols. Importantly, the procedure exhibited high stereoselectivities, excellent functional-group tolerance, and good efficiency on large-scale synthesis, as well as further derivatization of the products.

Alternating Current Electrolysis for the Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Mixed Disulfide via Sulfur-Sulfur Bond Metathesis towards Dynamic Disulfide Libraries

A novel approach of electrolysis using alternating current was applied in the sulfur–sulfur bond metathesis of symmetrical disulfides towards unsymmetrical disulfides. As initially expected, a statistical distribution in disulfides was obtained. Furthermore, the influence of electrode polarisation by alternating current was investigated on a two‐disulfide matrix. The highly dynamic nature of this chemistry resulted in the creation of dynamic disulfide libraries by expansion of the matrices, consisting of up to six symmetrical disulfides. In addition, mixing of matrices and stepwise expanding of a matrix by using alternating current electrolysis were realised.

Nickela-electrocatalyzed C-H Alkoxylation with Secondary Alcohols: Oxidation-Induced Reductive Elimination at Nickel(III)

Nickela-electrooxidative C-H alkoxylations with challenging secondary alcohols were accomplished in a fully dehydrogenative fashion, thereby avoiding stoichiometric chemical oxidants, with H2 as the only stoichiometric byproduct. The nickela-electrocatalyzed oxygenation proved viable with various (hetero)arenes, including naturally occurring secondary alcohols, without racemization. Detailed mechanistic investigation, including DFT calculations and cyclovoltammetric studies of a well-defined C-H activated nickel(III) intermediate, suggest an oxidation-induced reductive elimination at nickel(III).

Unsymmetrical Disulfides Synthesis via Sulfenium Ion

An umpolung approach for the synthesis of unsymmetrical disulfides via sulfenium ion is reported. In situ generated electrophilic sulfenium ion from electron-rich thiols reacted with second thiols to yield unsymmetrical disulfides. Using an iodine catalyst and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP)/water as promoter, the target syntheses were achieved in one pot under aerobic condition.

Amide Synthesis from Thiocarboxylic Acids and Amines by Spontaneous Reaction and Electrosynthesis

Amide bond formation is one of the most important basic reactions in chemistry. A catalyst-free approach for constructing amide bonds from thiocarboxylic acids and amines was developed. The mechanistic studies showed that the disulfide was the key intermediate for this amide synthesis. Thiobenzoic acids could be automatically oxidized to disulfides in air, thioaliphatic acids could be electro-oxidized to disulfides, and the resulting disulfides reacted with amines to give the corresponding amides. By this method, various amides could be easily synthesized in excellent yields without using any catalyst or activator. The successful synthesis of bioactive compounds also highlights the synthetic utility of this strategy in medicinal chemistry.

Continuous-Flow Electrosynthesis of Benzofused S-Heterocycles by Dehydrogenative C-S Cross-Coupling

Reported herein is the synthesis of benzofused six-membered S-heterocycles by intramolecular dehydrogenative C-S coupling using a modular flow electrolysis cell. The continuous-flow electrosynthesis not only ensures efficient product formation, but also obviates the need for transition-metal catalysts, oxidizing reagents, and supporting electrolytes. Reaction scale-up is conveniently achieved through extended electrolysis without changing the reaction conditions and equipment.