Direct Synthesis of α‑Sulfenylated Ketones under Electrochemical Conditions

We investigated the electrochemical
sulfenylation reaction in both
batch and continuous flow regimes, involving thiophenols/thiols and
enol–acetates to yield α-sulfenylated ketones, without
using additional oxidants or catalysts. Studies with different electrolytes
were also performed, revealing that quaternary ammonium salts are
the best mediators for this reaction. Notably, during the study of
the reaction scope, a Boc-cysteine proved to be extremely tolerant
to our protocol, thus increasing its relevance. The methodology also
proved to be scalable in both batch and continuous flow conditions,
opening up possibilities for further studies since these relevant
functional groups are important moieties in organic synthesis.