A mild and convenient method for synthesizing thioesters has been developed, from sulfenylchlorides and carboxylic acids via a phosphine mediated umpolung process. This approach efficiently produces a broad spectrum of thioesters from readily available carboxylic acids, including primary, secondary, and tertiary types, as well as bioactive molecules. The successful gram-scale reactions also validate its scalability and practical application.
An alternative thioesterification reaction via copper-catalyzed oxidative coupling of readily available aroylhydrazides with disulfides is developed, in which oxidative expulsion of N2 overcomes the activation barrier between the carboxylic acid derivatives and the products. The reaction produces various thioesters in good to excellent yields with good functional group tolerance. In the reaction, stable and easily available aroylhydrazides are used as acyl sources and the relatively odorless disulfides are used as S sources. Mechanistic investigations demonstrate that the reaction of copper salt and oxidant (NH4)2S2O8 allows for achievement of tandem processes, including deprotonation, free-radical-mediated denitrogenation, and C–S bond formation.