One-pot Metal-free Synthesis of Benzyl Alkyl Sulfides

The synthesis of sulfides is important in various fields. This paper reports an efficient, odorless, and viable protocol for the base-mediated synthesis of benzyl alkyl sulfides using thiourea. The reactions were carried out under transition-metal-free conditions, showing yields of asymmetric sulfides higher than 80%. Tertiary alkyl halides and aryl halides do not react with thiourea under formation of the corresponding isothiouronium salts; however, 5-bromopyrimidine and 2-bromopyrimidine lead to yields of 79.2% and 87.6%, respectively. This method is of significant importance from the both environmental and economic, green chemistry points of view.