Chemoselective Reduction of Diaryl Bisulfides to Thiols with Sodium Borohydride in Mixed Solvent Containing Methaxol

Abstract Sodium borohydride(NaBH4) is a readily available, mild reducing agent and is easy to manipulate.1 On the other hand, reduction of disulfide to the corresponding thiol is an important reaction both in bio- and organic chemistry.2 However, disulfides can't be reduced by NaBH4 except those of limited structures3 such as lipoic acid.