Palladium-Catalyzed Debenzylative Cross-Coupling of Aryl Benzyl Sulfides with Aryl Bromides: Synthesis of Diaryl Sulfides

Abstract

A novel debenzylative approach to synthesize diaryl sulfides from aryl benzyl sulfides and aryl bromides in good to excellent yields is reported. Mechanistic studies suggest a single catalyst, derived from Pd(dba)2 and NiXantPhos, efficiently catalyzes α-arylation of sulfides, C-S bond cleavage, and C-S bond formation in a tricatalytic cycle.