Metal triflate-mediated coupling of allylgermanes with thiols: a facile route to thiogermanes

Dalton Trans. 2015 Jun 28;44(24):10943-6. doi: 10.1039/c5dt01734c. Epub 2015 May 26.

Abstract

A novel coupling reaction of thiols with (2-methylallyl)germanes catalyzed by metal triflates has been developed. This reaction provides a direct and efficient method to afford thiogermanes and opens a valuable and general synthetic route for the Ge-S cross-coupling with the elimination of isobutylene as a single by-product. Scandium(iii) triflate demonstrates the highest catalytic activity among the tested triflates. All reactions were carried out under extremely mild conditions to give thiogermanes in excellent yields. This Ge-S coupling reaction shows high generality for the variety of thiols.