Reaction of Diaryliodonium Salts with Potassium Alkyl Xanthates as an Entry Point to Accessing Organosulfur Compounds.

Preparation of S -aryl xanthates via transition-metal-catalyzed or S N Ar reactions is complicated by their further transformations under the utilized conditions. In contrast, S-arylation of potassium O -alkyl xanthates with diaryliodonium salts proceeds under mild conditions, enabling access to substituted S -aryl xanthates. The method exhibits good functional group tolerance and can be applied to the late-stage C-H functionalization of drug molecules. Divergent transformations of the resulting S -aryl xanthates provide rapid access to a range of medicinal chemistry-relevant organosulfur compounds.