Synthesis of Sulfides, Sulfoxides, and Sulfones

Abstract

Sulfides (R1SR2), sulfoxides (R1SOR2), and sulfones (R1SO2R2), is widely used in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, materials, food chemistry and biology. Sulfur atom shows diverse functions and potencies in different oxidative states, leading rich chemistry of sulfur in organic synthesis. Additionally, sulfides, sulfoxides and sulfones are significant building blocks in organic transformation for the synthesis of functional molecules. In this chapter, various methods for the synthesis of sulfides, sulfoxides and sulfones have been updated base on the original chapter from the second edition. The synthesis of sulfides is summarized according to different sulfenylation reagents, such as thiols, disulfides, Sulfonyl chlorides, sulfonyl hydrazides, sulfinic acids and sulfonates etc. Sulfoxides are synthesized via the coupling of sulfenate anions, sulfinyl derivatives with nucleophiles, oxidation reaction of sulfides and rearrangement reactions. The synthesis of sulfones is usually achieved by the sulfur dioxide sources of DABSO, sodium metabisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, thiourea dioxide and rongalite.