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. 2025 Aug 12;16(36):16559-16566.
doi: 10.1039/d5sc05002b. eCollection 2025 Sep 17.

Thiol-free arene C-H thioesterification enabled by a photoactive electron donor-acceptor complex

Yan-Qiu Jiang  1 , Ang Gao  1 , Ming-Chen Fu  1
Affiliations

Thiol-free arene C-H thioesterification enabled by a photoactive electron donor-acceptor complex

Yan-Qiu Jiang et al. Chem Sci. .

Abstract

We herein report a catalyst- and thiol-free method for synthesizing thioesters from arenes, carboxylic acids, and tetramethylthiourea in a one-pot process, by combining arene activation via the interrupted Pummerer reaction with an electron donor-acceptor complex strategy. The method enables late-stage modification of complex bioactive molecules, and operates effectively under natural sunlight, highlighting its potential synthetic value.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts to declare.

Figures

Scheme 1
Scheme 1. Synthetic strategies for thioesters.
Scheme 2
Scheme 2. One-pot C–H thioesterification sequence directly from unfunctionalized arene 1.
Scheme 3
Scheme 3. Mechanistic studies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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