Synthesis 2010(1): 79-84  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1217056
PAPER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

An Efficient, Mild and Intermolecular Ullmann-Type Synthesis of Thioethers Catalyzed by a Diol-Copper(I) Complex

D. J. C. Prasad, Govindasamy Sekar*
Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036, India
Fax: +91(44)22574202; e-Mail: gsekar@iitm.ac.in;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 30 July 2009
Publication Date:
19 October 2009 (online)

Abstract

A wide range of diaryl sulfides and aryl alkyl sulfides are synthesized under mild reaction conditions from the corresponding aryl iodides and aromatic/aliphatic thiols through Ullmann-type intermolecular coupling reactions in the presence of catalytic amount of easily available novel trans-9,10-dihydro-9,10-ethanoanthracene-11,12-dimethanol-copper(I) bromide complex at 82 ˚C. The catalytic system is not only capable of coupling electron-withdrawing and electron-releasing substituent-containing substrates, but also tolerates a broad range of functional groups including heteroatom­-containing aryl iodides and thiols.