Aromatic Thiocyanation by a Mixture of Antimony(V) Chloride and Lead(II) Thiocyanate

Abstract
Alkyl- and halobenzenes give thiocyano-derivatives when treated with a mixture of SbCl5 and Pb(SCN)2 in CCl4. The reaction proceeds via in situ formation of ClSCN from SbCl5 and Pb(SCN)2 followed by its attack on aromatic compounds catalyzed by SbCl5, the reaction species being SCN+SbCl6−.