Acid-induced chemoselective arylthiolations of electron-rich arenes in ionic liquids from sodium arylsulfinates: the reducibility of halide anions in [Hmim]Br.

An acid-induced protocol for the chemoselective arylthiolations of electron-rich arenes in ionic liquids from sodium arylsulfinates is introduced. The chemistry, in which [Hmim]Br (heaxylmethylimidazolium bromide) is used as both a solvent and a reducer, provides several advantages including odorless and simple operation, inexpensive reagents, recyclable solvents and gram-scale synthesis.