Synthesis 2005(8): 1305-1313  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-865321
PAPER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Synthesis of Diaryl Ethers, Diaryl Sulfides, Heteroaryl Ethers and Heteroaryl Sulfides under Microwave Dielectric Heating

Feng Li, Qingqing Meng, Huansheng Chen, Zhiming Li, Quanrui Wang*, Fenggang Tao
Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, 200433 Shanghai, P. R. China
Fax: +86(21)65641740; e-Mail: qrwang@fudan.edu.cn;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 17 September 2004
Publication Date:
19 April 2005 (online)

Abstract

This paper describes the synthesis of diaryl ethers and sulfides by utilizing microwave heating methodology. The methodology is shown to be rapid and efficient for the coupling of phenols or thiophenol with electron-deficient aryl halides through a SNAr reaction. The scope of the protocol can be expanded to six-membered heterocycles bearing a hydroxyl group as well as to the reaction of 2-pyrimidinethiol with mildly activated aryl halides, providing heteroaryl ethers and sulfides, respectively. The advantages of the present method include the wide substrate scope, the obviation of metal catalysts, ease of product isolation, and high purity of products.

19

Under the usual refluxing acetonitrile conditions the same reaction catalyzed by potassium fluoride-alumina and 18-crown-6 occurred in 83% yield in 120 hours.6