Iron-catalyzed Transformation of Thioketals to Vinyl Sulfides

Abstract A novel iron-catalyzed reaction has been developed for the preparation of various vinyl sulfides. This new method enables a range of thioketals to easily access terminal alkenes featuring different alkylthio groups. 28 sulfanes have been efficiently achieved with moderate to good yields. A preparative-scale reaction also proceeds well, demonstrating its further potential in organic synthesis. We further tried to understand its mechanism by DFT calculations. This methodology is significant in sulfur chemistry, giving a new pathway to transform thioketals to vinyl sulfides.