Diastereoselective thioglycosylation of peracetylated glycosides catalyzed by in situ generated iron(III) iodide from elemental iodine and iron

A facile in situ preparation of Fe(III) iodide from cheap, abundant elemental iodine and iron metal served as an efficient catalyst for the thioglycosylation of peracetylated glycosides with various alkyl and aryl mercaptans. Due to neighboring participation, the anomerically pure β-thioglycosides were obtained in good to high yields with exclusive diastereocontrol.