Sodium Iodide (NaI)-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling for C−S Bond Formation via Oxidative Dehydrogenation: Cheap, Direct Access to Unsymmetrical Aryl Sulfides

A simple and practical NaI-catalyzed direct C-H sulfenylation of arenes has been developed under air. In this reaction, aryl sulfides were obtained in moderate to excellent yields with high regioselectivity from readily available aromatic compounds and aryl/alkyl thiols, even on gram scale. To demonstrate the practicability of this reaction, two bioactive compound skeletons were synthesized in good yields. This method can also be used to late-stage modification of curcumin.