Activation of Elemental Sulfur by Electrogenerated Cyanomethyl Anion: Synthesis of Substituted 2‐Aminothiophenes by the Gewald Reaction |
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Authors: | Marta Feroci Isabella Chiarotto Leucio Rossi Achille Inesi |
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Abstract: | The activation of elemental sulfur (S8) has been achieved by means of electrogenerated cyanomethyl anion [easily obtained by galvanostatic reduction from acetonitrile/tetraethylammonium hexafluorophosphate (MeCN‐Et4NPF6)]. The “activated” sulfur reacted with ylidenemalononitriles to give substituted 2‐aminothiophenes in very high yields. This variation of the Gewald reaction has been carried out using only catalytic amounts of electricity and supporting electrolyte. A proposed mechanism for the interaction between S8 and cyanomethyl anion is described. |
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Keywords: | 2‐aminothiophenes electrogenerated cyanomethyl anion elemental sulfur Gewald reaction ylidenemalononitriles |
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