A new tetrazine catalytic system for the synthesis of N-aryl-α-arylated glycine ester derivatives

A novel catalytic system has been developed, comprising 3,6-dichloro-1,2,4,5-tetrazine as the catalyst, zinc acetate as an additive, dichloromethane as the solvent, and air as the oxidizing agent. Under ambient conditions, this system effectively activates C–S bonds. Specifically, it facilitates the reaction between α-benzylthioglycine ester and electron-rich aromatics, achieving functionalization of the C–S bond. This method exhibits mild reaction conditions, broad substrate compatibility, and yields up to 91%. A plausible free radical mechanism is proposed to explain the observed reactivity.