Cerium ammonium nitrate-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling of dithiocarbamates: facile synthesis of thioureas and bis(aminothiocarbonyl)disulfides

Abstract

Diverse disubstituted and trisubstituted thioureas were synthesized by the condensation of dithiocarbamate TEA (or DABCO) salts and amines using cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN) as a catalyst in high yields at room temperature. It is a one-pot method and it is unnecessary to isolate isothiocyanates. This reaction probably took place through nucleophilic addition of amines to isothiocyanates, which were generated by oxidative coupling of dithiocarbamates and the following decomposition of bis(aminothiocarbonyl)disulfides. When secondary amines and CS₂ served as the reactants, bis(aminothiocarbonyl)disulfides were obtained via tandem nucleophilic addition/oxidative coupling reactions in moderate to excellent yields. In all the coupling reactions, the oxidant was air and CAN possibly acted as an SET catalyst.