Glycerol/CuI/Zn as a recyclable catalytic system for synthesis of vinyl sulfides and tellurides

A convenient approach to the Cu-catalyzed coupling of diphenyl disulfide and diphenyl ditelluride with vinyl bromides using a recyclable catalytic system and glycerol as a green solvent is described. This protocol was efficiently used in the preparation of vinyl sulfides and vinyl tellurides with a variety of substituents in good yields and stereoselectively. The solvent/catalyst system was directly reused for four cycles without loss of activity.