Copper-Catalyzed Synthesis of Thiosulfonates by Oxidative Coupling of Thiols with Sodium Sulfinates

The copper-catalyzed sulfonylation of thiols was performed by using sodium sulfinates under an oxygen atmosphere. The procedure afforded thiosulfonates in good yields by using a CuI-Phen center dot H2O (Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) catalyst and tolerated numerous combinations of arene-and alkanethiols with sodium sulfinates. Furthermore, it was found that the coupling of diaryl disulfides with sodium arylsulfinates proceeded in air and both sulfide groups on the disulfide were available.