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Updated: Sep 15, 2026

Synthesis of a Thiol Building Block for the Crystallization of a Semiconducting Gyroidal Metal-sulfur Framework
Published on: April 9, 2018
Co-solvent-tunable electroreduction of sulfonyl chlorides to thiosulfonates and disulfides
Bei Lei1, Xiaohan Li1, Mingyu Jiang1
1School of Pharmacy, Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China. laijsh13@ncu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
A co-solvent-controlled facile and tunable electrochemical protocol has been developed for divergent access to thiosulfonates and disulfides from readily available arylsulfonyl chlorides. By simply switching the alkylaromatic co-solvent (ethylbenzene or toluene), selective formation of two high-value organosulfur compounds was achieved in an undivided cell. This approach avoids the use of metal catalysts, external redox reagents, and sacrificial anodes, demonstrating a sustainable and practical strategy. A wide range of arylsulfonyl chlorides underwent the transformation smoothly with good functional group tolerance and satisfactory yields. Mechanistic investigations including cyclic voltammetry, radical trapping experiments, and product analysis revealed a radical-involved pathway, where anodic oxidation of alkylaromatics precisely modulates the cathodic reduction pathway to realize switchable synthesis.
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