Addition of S−H Bonds across Electron-Deficient Olefins Catalyzed by Well-Defined Copper(I) Thiolate Complexes

Abstract

A series of monomeric (NHC)Cu(SR) (R = Ph or CH2Ph; NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes have been synthesized and fully characterized including single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. These complexes catalyze the addition of S-H bonds across electron-deficient olefins to regioselectively produce "anti-Markovnikov" products.