Bromotrifluoromethane → 2-(Trifluoromethylthio)biphenyl

Participants

Reaction Steps

A reaction tube in a photoreaction apparatus was charged with 50 ml of dimethylformamide (DMF) and 5.59 g (30 mmol) of 2-mercaptobiphenyl, and with ice cooling and stirring, 1.2 g (30 mmol) of sodium hydride (60% in oil) was added. When foaming ceased, trifluoromethyl bromide was introduced into the reaction solution. The atmosphere within the reaction system was replaced by gaseous trifluoromethyl bromide, and while irradiating light from a high-pressure mercury lamp, about 2 equivalents of trifluoromethyl bromide was passed into the reaction system over about 2 hours. Ice water (150 ml) was added to the resulting brown reaction solution, and it was extracted with pentane. The organic layer was washed with water and then with saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution, and then dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The anhydrous magnesium sulfate was removed by filtration, and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to give 6.71 g (87.9%) of 2-(trifluoromethylthio)biphenyl as an oil. It was purified by silica gel column chromatography. The properties of the product were as shown below.

Provenance & Evidence