Nickel-catalyzed thiolation of unactivated aryl C–H bonds: efficient access to diverse aryl sulfides.

A nickel-catalyzed thiolation of unactivated C(sp2)–H bonds with disulfides employing the PIP directing group was described. This process uses a catalytic nickel catalyst and no metallic oxidants or cocatalysts are required. The reaction tolerates various important functional groups and heteroarenes, providing an efficient synthetic pathway to access diverse diaryl sulfides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]