Indium-catalyzed direct preparation of dibenzyl sulfides from benzyl alcohols and elemental sulfur with a hydrosilane and its application to the preparation of dibenzyl selenide

We describe how a reducing system composed of InI3 and a hydrosilane efficiently and directly introduce elemental sulfur into the structure of dibenzyl sulfides via a nucleophilic substitution of benzyl alcohols. Also, we describe the application of this reducing system in the direct preparation of a dibenzyl selenide derivative with selenium. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.