Bi(III)-catalyzed C-S cross-coupling reaction

A direct synthetic route for the C?S coupling of aryl halides with thiophenols is described. This method is tolerant to electron-withdrawing and electron-donating functional groups and also to the presence of functional groups in the ortho position of the aryl iodide or thiophenol. Aryl iodides are coupled with thiophenols without affecting the other functionalities present in the aryl ring. These reactions follow second-order kinetics. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.