Difluoromethylthiolation of Phenols and Related Compounds with a HF2CSO2Na/Ph2PCl/Me3SiCl System

A novel HF2CSO2Na/Ph2PCl/Me3SiCl system is disclosed for the late-stage direct difluoromethylthiolation of Csp2 and Csp3 nucleophiles. Difluoromethylthiolation of phenols and naphthols proceeded nicely under this system to regioselectively provide corresponding SCF2H compounds in good yields. Other substrates such as indoles, pyrroles, pyrazoles, enamines, ketones, and β-keto esters were also transformed to corresponding SCF2H products in good yields. The late-stage direct difluoromethylthiolation of a number of natural products and pharmaceutically attractive molecules was also achieved.