Bis(alkyl)thioethers on a biphenyl scaffold : a spectroscopic and structural insight

Abstract

A series of bis(alkyl)thioether compounds utilising biphenyl as the backbone of the type 2,2′-bis(alkylthio)-1,1′-biphenyl have been prepared with yields of 32-70%. The six benzyl derivatives all displayed an AB quartet for the CH2 hydrogens within their 1H NMR spectra due to restricted rotation within the molecule. Where the alkyl group was changed to neopentyl the CH2 protons became equivalent giving rise to a singlet within the 1H NMR spectrum. The compounds have been characterised principally using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction.