The Preparation of Aryl Thioethers by Reaction of Aromatic Halogen Compounds with Cuprous Thiophenolate or Cuprous Thiobutylate

The reaction of cuprous thiophenolate with an aryl halide in a mixture of quinoline and pyridine appears to be a general method for obtaini ng high yields of aryl thioethers. Only two halogen compounds were encountered which gave unexpected products. Cuprous thiobutylate will not react with inactivated aryl chlorides but readily with aryl bromides to replace the halogen atom with a butylmercapto group