Transition-metal-catalyzed C-S bond formation: recent developments and pharmaceutical applications

Area of Science:

• Organic Chemistry
• Catalysis
• Materials Science

Background:

• Carbon-sulfur (C-S) bond formation is vital for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and functional materials.
• Transition-metal catalysis offers efficient pathways for C-S bond construction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of recent developments in C-S bond formation methodologies.
• To cover advancements using both classical late transition metals and other miscellaneous metals.

Main Methods:

• Review of palladium, nickel, and copper catalysis for C-S bond formation.
• Exploration of molybdenum, iridium, rhodium, chromium, manganese, zinc, and scandium catalysts.
• Discussion of specific reactions like thiolation, Ullmann-type couplings, dehydrative thio-etherification, and photoredox catalysis.

Main Results:

• Palladium catalysis enables efficient thiolation of aryl halides.
• Nickel catalysis offers a cost-effective alternative with complementary reactivity.
• Copper catalysis facilitates Ullmann-type couplings and oxidative thiolations.
• Molybdenum and iridium catalysts enable novel transformations like thio-etherification and synthesis of thioesters/thioalkynes.

Conclusions:

• Recent C-S bond formation methodologies exhibit high compatibility with drug-like molecules.
• These catalytic methods are significant for advanced organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry.