Sulfur-containing natural products are ubiquitous in nature, their most abundant source being marine organisms since sulfur, in the form of the sulfate ion, is the second most abundant anion in sea water after chloride. As part of natural products, sulfur can appear in a multitude of combinations and oxidation states: thiol, sulfide (acyclic or heterocyclic), disulfide, sulfoxide, sulfonate, thioaminal, hemithioacetal, various thioesters, thiocarbamate and isothiocyanate. This review article focuses on β-hydroxy sulfides and analogs; their presence in natural products, general protocols for their synthesis, and examples of their application in target oriented synthesis.

A multicomponent reaction, promoted by molecular iodine and diacetoxyiodobenzene, for the synthesis of (E)‐1,3‐diphenyl‐1‐butene derivatives from styrene and thiophenol was developed. The attractiveness of the protocol is its ability to introduce a sulfur heteroatom without a need for an extra reaction step. The scope and limitations of the protocol are investigated.

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The cover picture shows a three‐component regio‐ and stereoselective synthesis of 1,3‐diphenyl‐1‐butene derivatives in the absence of a metal or a strong acid catalyst. Unlike previously developed protocols, the current methodology allows the incorporation of a sulfur heteroatom as well as two different styrene derivatives in the dimer. The majestic “Three Rondavels” found in Mpumalanga's Panorama Route, South Africa, represent the three components and environmentally benign character of this reaction developed at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). We acknowledge Hester Roets from the UJ Graphic Design Studio for designing the cover page. Details are discussed in the Communication by M. B. Marakalala and H. H. Kinfe on page 3311 ff (https://doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.201700199).