B(C6F5)3-Catalyzed Electron Donor-Acceptor Complex-Mediated Aerobic Sulfenylation of Indoles under Visible-Light Conditions.

An efficient B(C6F5)3-catalyzed aerobic oxidative C-S cross-coupling reaction of thiophenol with indoles was developed, affording a wide range of diaryl sulfides in good yields. An electron donor-acceptor complex between B(C6F5)3 and indoles was formed, facilitating the photoinduced single-electron transfer (SET) from indole substrates to the B(C6F5)3 catalyst. This protocol demonstrates a new reaction model using B(C6F5)3 as a single-electron oxidant.