Direct C(sp3)─H Thiolation with Disulfides via Light Photoredox Catalysis

Abstract

Organosulfur compounds hold significant application value in fields such as medicine and materials science. However, due to the poisoning effect of sulfur on metal catalysts, the development of methods for constructing C-S bonds has notably lagged behind strategies for synthesizing other carbon-heteroatom bonds. This study reports a photoinduced C-H direct functionalization strategy that enables the construction of C-S bonds with disulfides under mild conditions. The reaction system exhibits excellent substrate compatibility, with a variety of ethers, allylic compounds, amides containing C(sp³)-H bonds, as well as alkyl and aryl disulfides participating efficiently in the reaction. This synthetic method offers significant advantages: broad substrate scope, mild reaction conditions, and high atom economy, providing an efficient and convenient new approach for the synthesis of thioether compounds.