PVP‐I Catalyzed Hydroxysulfurization of <i>α</i> ‐(Trifluoromethyl)‐Styrenes with Thiols: Access to Trifluoromethyl Tertiary Alcohol

Abstract An efficient method for the synthesis of β ‐hydroxy‐ β ‐CF 3 ‐thioether has been developed, utilizing povidone‐iodine (PVP‐I) as a recyclable catalyst and air as the oxidant. The reaction proceeded smoothly at room temperature, yielding the desired β ‐hydroxy‐ β ‐CF 3 ‐thioether in moderate to good yields. This method can be scaled up to gram‐scale without losing any reaction efficiency. The catalyst was also recyclable up to 8 repetitions. The reaction mechanism was investigated and plausible reaction pathway was proposed.