Ambident electrophilic character of thioxophosphoranesulphenyl bromides =P(S)SBr. A novel observation of electrophilic addition to a Carbon–Carbon double bond

The thioxophosphoranesulphenyl bromides (1) act as ambident electrophiles towards alkenes and react, depending on the structure of the alkene, to give either the normal addition products –SC(R1)(R2)CR3(R4)(Br) or 1,2-dibromides and -disulphides.