Deep Eutectic Mixture Catalysed the Synthesis of Disulfides Using Bunte Salts as Thiol Surrogates

Bunte salts, easily prepared from odourless sodium thiosulfates and various alkyl and aryl halides, acted as thiol surrogates for preparation of disulfides in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and a Brønsted-acidic deep eutectic mixture. The reaction proceeded smoothly to give the corresponding disulfide products in moderate to good yields, leaving odourless sodium bisulfite and water as the by-products. Moreover, this catalytic system could be readily recovered and reused several times without significant loss in activity.