Cu-catalyzed synthesis of diaryl thioethers and S-cycles by reaction of aryl iodides with carbon disulfide in the presence of DBU.

Diaryl thioethers and S-cycles were obtained on the basis of the copper-catalyzed reaction of carbon disulfide and aryl iodides in the presence of DBU. This reaction enables the one-pot synthesis of diaryl thioethers by employing cheap, available, and easy-to-handle carbon disulfide with aryl iodides. The reaction was successfully employed in the construction of sulfur-containing cyclic molecules.