Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Cross-Coupling of Arylhydrazines and Arenethiols with Molecular Oxygen as the Sole Oxidant.

A highly efficient palladium-catalyzed oxidative cross-coupling of arylhydrazines and arenethiols with molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant to afford unsymmetrical diaryl sulfides has been developed. The only byproducts are nitrogen and water. A broad range of functional groups, even the reactive iodides, are tolerated and thus offer the opportunity for further functionalization.