An efficient intermolecular C(aryl)-S bond forming reaction catalyzed by BINAM-copper(II) complex

A wide range of diaryl thioethers and aryl alkyl thioethers; are synthesized from the corresponding aryl iodides and aromatic/aliphatic thiols through Ullmann type intermolecular coupling reactions in the presence of a catalytic amount of easily available BINAM-Cu(OTf)(2) complex. Less reactive aryl bromides have also been shown to react with thiols under identical reaction conditions to give good yields of the thioethers without increasing the reaction temperature and time. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.