Iodine-Catalyzed Cross Dehydrogenative Coupling Reaction: Sulfenylation of Enaminones Using Dimethyl Sulfoxide as an Oxidant

Synthesis of polyfunctionalized aminothioalkenes has been demonstrated using iodine as a catalyst (30 mol %) and dimethyl sulfoxide as an oxidant under metal-free reaction conditions. This methodology allows a facile sulfenylation of enaminones with a broad range of heterocyclic thiols and thiones using cross dehydrogenative coupling methods. In addition, this strategy is highly practical as it employs inexpensive and readily available iodine and DMSO with a short reaction time. The current methodology is one of the simplest methods and provides a straightforward approach to sulfenylation of enaminones via the cross dehydrogenative coupling method.