Photocatalytic selective disulfuration of aryl aldehydes and alkenyl aldehydes with dithiosulfonate as a bifunctional disulfur reagent and hydrogen atom acceptor

Abstract

We have developed a highly efficient photocatalytic method for the selective disulfuration of aryl aldehydes and alkenyl aldehydes using a bifunctional dithiosulfonate (ArSO₂-SSR), enabling the synthesis of a diverse array of benzoyl disulfides and chroman-4-ones with disulfide moieties. Notably, this method facilitates the synthesis of benzoyl disulfides in the aqueous phase, demonstrating a broad substrate scope and excellent tolerance for various functional groups. Furthermore, it allows for gram-scale production in a continuous-flow blue LED photoreactor and facilitates late-stage functionalization of complex molecules, showcasing its practical applicability in synthetic chemistry.