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Updated: Sep 19, 2025

Synthesis of a Thiol Building Block for the Crystallization of a Semiconducting Gyroidal Metal-sulfur Framework
Published on: April 9, 2018
Copper-Mediated C(sp2)-H Thiolation of Free Amines Enabled by a Transient Directing Group
Ming-Shun Mei1, Dongsheng Yi1, Fanyi Meng1
1School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
Abstract:
A copper-mediated C-H thiolation reaction of benzylamines has been developed using a transient directing group strategy. In this reaction, picolinaldehyde was used as the catalyst, which forms a transient imine directing group in situ with benzylamines to facilitate C-H activation. This method not only provides a straightforward route to aryl sulfides but also represents one of the rare examples of first-row transition metal-mediated C-H functionalization via a transient directing group approach. The work highlights the potential of cost-effective copper catalysts in enabling challenging C-S bond formations, advancing the field of sustainable C-H functionalization.
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