Rapid, Efficient and Chemoselective Deoxygenation of Sulfoxides to Thioethers­ Using NaBH₄/I₂

Abstract

Sodium borohydride in the presence of iodine in anhydrous THF converts a range of structurally different sulfoxides to their thioethers in excellent yields. It has been found that chemoselective deoxygenation of sulfoxides can be achieved in the presence of other reducible functional groups such as esters, nitriles and double bonds.

Key words

sulfoxides - deoxygenation - reduction - NaBH₄ - iodine - sulfides

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