Photoinduced Oxidative Cross-Coupling for O–S Bond Formation: A Facile Synthesis of Alkyl Benzenesulfonates

We have developed a photoinduced oxidative cross-coupling of thiophenols with alcohols for O–S bond formation. The protocol uses visible light, a metal-free photocatalyst, and oxygen as the oxidant for the selective synthesis of alkyl benzenesulfonates; no ligand co-additive is necessary. Mechanistic studies suggested that the disulfide and alkyl benzenesulfinate are involved as intermediates and that the transformation proceeds by a radical pathway.