Mohammad Abbasi

In this study, three independent yet interconnected reaction pathways were designed and investigated for the synthesis of thioethers. In the first pathway, the decarboxylative sulfenylation of arylacetic acids with aromatic disulfides was carried out in the presence of potassium carbonate and morpholine in DMF at 130 °C, leading to the selective formation of aromatic thioethers. In the second approach, the reaction of aldehydes with aromatic thiols in the presence of sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate and sodium carbonate in DMF was examined. This transformation proceeds through a decarbonylative sulfenylation process and affords the corresponding thioethers in good yields without the need for any metal catalysts. In the third method, aromatic thiols were reacted with 2-arylpropanal or 2-arylacetic acid derivatives in the presence of potassium carbonate and humic acid as a natural solid catalyst in DMF at 120 °C, resulting in an efficient synthesis of thioethers. The use of humic acid as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional acids and metal catalysts not only simplified the reaction conditions but also improved both the yields and environmental compatibility of the process.