Photoinduced Nucleophilic Substitution of Aryl Halides with Potassium Thioacetate – A One‐Pot Approach to Aryl Methyl and Diaryl Sulfides

Abstract

Abstract Aryl methyl sulfides and diaryl sulfides were prepared by photoinduced reactions of potassium thioacetate with aryl halides under entrainment conditions. Without isolation, the arene thiolates obtained by the aromatic substitution were quenched with methyl iodide to afford the aryl methyl sulfides in 26–59 % yields in a “one‐pot” procedure together with the diaryl sulfides in variable yields (3–31 %). By optimization of the reaction conditions it was possible to improve the formation of the Ar 2 S, going from moderate to good yields (64–83 %). (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)