Unprecedented dithiolation of enalsvia their NHC-catalysed umpolung reaction with organic disulfides

Abstract

A novel one-pot N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalysed dithiolation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes (enals) with organic disulfides is reported. The protocol involves homoenolate reactivity of enals, where the homoenolate attacks on the disulfide as a d³ nucleophile followed by thioesterification to afford β-aryl/alkylsulfanyl thioesters with complete atom economy.