Aryl sulfides are common and ubiquitous motifs in natural
products
and pharmaceuticals. Presented herein is the first example of the
synthesis of diaryl sulfide derivatives via dehydroaromatization under
simple basic conditions. Dehydroaromatization reactions between indolines
or cyclohexanones with aryl thiols are performed in an environmentally
benign manner by the use of air (molecular oxygen) as the oxidant,
with producing water as the only byproduct. The methodology provides
a simple and practical route to diaryl sulfides with wide functional
groups in good to excellent yields. Preliminary mechanistic studies
suggest that a radical process is involved in the transformation.
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