Synlett 2018; 29(14): 1914-1920
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1610532
letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Synthesis of 3-Sulfenylindoles from Indoles and Various Sulfenylation Agents through Aerobic Oxidative C–S Bond Coupling

Chaorong Xu
College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. of China   Email: limc@zjut.edu.cn   Email: zhenlushen@zjut.edu.cn
,
Shanli Yi
College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. of China   Email: limc@zjut.edu.cn   Email: zhenlushen@zjut.edu.cn
,
Meichao Li*
College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. of China   Email: limc@zjut.edu.cn   Email: zhenlushen@zjut.edu.cn
,
Xinquan Hu
College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. of China   Email: limc@zjut.edu.cn   Email: zhenlushen@zjut.edu.cn
,
Nan Sun
College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. of China   Email: limc@zjut.edu.cn   Email: zhenlushen@zjut.edu.cn
,
Liqun Jin
College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. of China   Email: limc@zjut.edu.cn   Email: zhenlushen@zjut.edu.cn
,
Baoxiang Hu
College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. of China   Email: limc@zjut.edu.cn   Email: zhenlushen@zjut.edu.cn
,
Zhenlu Shen*
College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. of China   Email: limc@zjut.edu.cn   Email: zhenlushen@zjut.edu.cn
› Author Affiliations
This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21776260, 21773211 and 21376224) and the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LY17B060007).
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 02 June 2018

Accepted after revision: 02 July 2018

Publication Date:
02 August 2018 (online)


Abstract

A novel aerobic catalytic oxidation system for the sulfenylation of indoles with a variety of sulfenylation agents through oxidative C–S bond coupling has been successfully developed. The reactions were performed with potassium iodide as the catalyst, sodium nitrite as the co-catalyst, and molecular oxygen as the terminal oxidant in the presence of acetic acid. Under the optimal reaction conditions, a number of indoles could be sulfenylated with Bunte salts, thiols, or disulfides to generate 3-sulfenylindoles in good yields. This protocol provided an efficient and environmentally benign strategy for the synthesis of 3-sulfenylindoles.

Supporting Information