TRIFLUOROMETHYLATION OF ORGANIC DISULFIDES WITH SODIUM TRIFLUOROMETHANESULFINATE UNDER OXIDATIVE CONDITIONS: SYNTHESIS OF TRIFLUOROMETHYL THIOETHERS

Abstract
Trifluoromethyl thioethers can be obtained from disulfides, sodium trifluoromethanesulfinate and an oxidizer like t-BuOOH, CAN or K2S2O8. The reaction seems to be a radical one and one half of the disulfide molecule only is used for trifluoromethylation. Yields are related to the nucleophilicity of the sulfur atoms. The choice of the solvent can be crucial, especially with aromatic disulfides for which sulfur trifluoromethylation competes with nucleus one.