Thiyl radical promoted chemo- and regioselective oxidation of CC bonds using molecular oxygen via iron catalysis

The first example of the thiyl radical promoted ligand-free iron-catalyzed oxidative cleavage of alkenes using molecular oxygen (1 atm) has been developed. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions with high efficiency and high chemo- and regioselectivity. It features a broad substrate scope and excellent functional group compatibility, enabling facile access to valuable molecules for application in medicinal chemistry. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that a vital intermediate dioxetane might be involved in the reaction and a thiyl radical plays a synergistic role in facilitating the selective oxidation of the C=C bond.