Cumyl phenyl sulfide forms bicumyl instead of cumyllithium upon reductive lithiation. Thiophenoxide as a leaving group in nucleophilic substitution by SET
Upon reduction with aromatic radical-anions, cumyl phenyl sulfide (1S) yields mainly bicumyl (2) rather than the expected cumyllithium (3), despite a literature report, herein revealed to be in error, that anion 3 is produced. Related examples from the literature are compiled. A suggested mechanism involves a single electron transfer from the generated cumyllithium (3) to the cumyl phenyl sulfide (1 S) leading to thiophenoxide anion and two ...