External oxidant-free and selective thiofunctionalization of alkenes enabled by photoredox-neutral catalysis

Abstract

A simple photoredox-neutral approach is reported for the three-component thiohydroxylation, thioalkoxylation and thioamination of vinylarenes towards valuable vicinal S,O- and S,N-disubstituted molecules. N-Phenyl-sulfenyl phthalimide, a commonly used sulfur electrophile, was herein demonstrated to act as a thiyl radical precursor and plays a crucial role in this reaction.