Iridium and phosphine promoted C-F bond activation: the C-S cross-coupling of aryl fluorides with diaryl disulfides to synthesize thioethers

Carbon-fluorine bond is the strongest known single bond to carbon and proved very difficult to cleave. An iridium and phosphine promoted C-F bond activation was developed, for the first time achieving the C-S cross-coupling reaction of disulfides with aryl fluorides using iridium complex. The corresponding monoarylthiolation products were obtained at moderate to good yields. Thus, it represents a new method for the synthesis of aryl sulfides through C-F bond activation.