PhotoOrganocatalytic Aerobic Oxidation of Thiols to Disulfides
Nikoleta Spiliopoulou
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
It is widely accepted that disulfides play a determinant role in biological systems and are also important intermediates for many synthetic pathways. Oxidation of thiols to disulfides is an area of great importance in Organic Chemistry for both synthetic and biological puproses.1-3 Herein, we report a photoorganocatalytic approach for the synthesis of both symmetrical and unsymmetrical disulfides in metal-free and environmentally friendly conditions. Utilizing phenylglyoxylic acid as the photocatalyst, common household bulbs as the light source and a simple inorganic salt as an additive, a versatile oxidation of thiols leading to products in excellent yields is described.
References:
1. (a) E. Gross, C. S. Sevier, A. Vala, C. A. Kaiser and D. Fass, Nature Struct. Mol. Biol., 2002, 9, 61-67; (b) J. R. Wintherand C. Thorpe, Biochi. Biophysi. Acta, 2014, 1840, 838- 846.
2. M. Gongora-Bernitez, J. Tulla-Puche and F. Albericio, CheRev, 2014, 114, 901-926.
3. S. Patai, The Chemistry of the Thiol Group, John Willey and Sons, 1974, 113-119.