Ligand-free copper-catalyzed C(sp)-H imidation of aromatic and aliphatic methyl sulfides with -fluorobenzenesulfonimide.

A novel and efficient process has been developed for copper-catalyzed C(sp)-H direct imidation of methyl sulfides with -fluorobenzenesulfonimide(NFSI). Without using any ligands, various methyl sulfides including aromatic and aliphatic methyl sulfides, can be transformed to the corresponding -((phenylthio)methyl)-benzenesulfonamide derivatives in good to excellent yields.