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. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.