Transition-metal-free regioselective cross-coupling of BODIPYs with thiols

Abstract

An efficient transition-metal-free regioselective C–H/S–H cross-coupling of BODIPY with thiols has been developed for the first time, providing a new and more straightforward method for controllable synthesis of mono-, di- and trithiolation BODIPYs via a radical process, which are otherwise difficult to obtain by literature methods. This new method will stimulate the synthesis of new and sophisticated thioether-decorated BODIPY dyes and will also easily allow the introduction of a variety of functionalities onto the BODIPY core through the thioether (pseudohalogen) functionalized BODIPY fluorophores.