Amino Acid and Water-Driven Tunable Green Protocol to Access S-S/C-S Bonds via Aerobic Oxidative Coupling and Hydrothiolation

Abstract

A green methodology utilizing natural auxiliary like L-Arginine in conjunction with water and oxygen led to oxidative coupling of thiols into disulfides (S-S bond) whereas thiol-yne coupling (TYC) to access vinyl sulfides (C-S bond) was facilitated in nitrogen atmosphere. The tunable protocol offers several advantages like low catalyst loading, high yields, clean reaction, no over-oxidation of S-S bond besides being metal/base/waste-free. The synthesis of ubiquitous cystine and GSSG in the same catalytic system is an added advantage and the catalytic system has been recycled up to seven times.