The ferrocenylation reaction of olefins and alkynes with a novel ferrocenyl sulfonium salt based on thianthrene skeleton

A novel electrophilic ferrocenylating reagent, thianthrene-based S-ferrocenyl sulfonium salt, has been be synthesized in one pot from ferrocenyl lithium. This bench-stable ferrocenylating reagent shows excellent thermos-stability and reactivity, and has been demonstrated to allow access to complex ferrocene architectures from various terminal alkenes or alkynes.