Abstract
Dichlorobis (pyridine) copper (II) (CPC) in dimethylformamide (DMF) was used for oxidation of various types of thiols to disulfides. The corresponding disulfides were obtained in good yields, and it has been found that the reduced copper (I) chelate was oxidized in contact with air and CPC was nearly completely recovered. Consequently, it has become apparent that oxidation of thiols in DMF was possible by using a catalytic amount of CPC.
A catalytic oxidation was impossible in dioxane alone, but became possible by the addition of DMF.
In the case of aryl thiols, the air oxidation proceeded smoothly without CPC in DMF solution.
