LETTER	Synlett 2007: 0925-0928   DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-973877
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York
Water-Promoted Highly Selective Anti-Markovnikov Addition of Thiols to Unactivated Alkenes
Brindaban C. Ranu*, Tanmay Mandal
Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700 032, India Fax: +91(33)24732805; e-Mail: ocbcr@iacs.res.in;
Received 3 October 2006

Abstract

The highly selective anti-Markovnikov addition of thiols to unactivated alkenes is demonstrated in water at room temperature without any additive. This is a very simple and efficient method for the synthesis of linear thioethers.

Key words

water - anti-Markovnikov addition - thiol - thioether - ­unactivated alkene