# Copper acetate mediated thiomethylation of 2-pyridine-substituted acrylonitriles with DMSO

## TL;DR

This paper presents a new method to efficiently create alkenyl methyl thioethers using copper acetate and DMSO.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is a copper acetate mediated thiomethylation method with broad substrate scope and good yields.

## Key findings

- The reaction provides products in moderate to excellent yields.
- It enables direct functionalization of vinylic C–H bonds.
- The method is stereospecific and applicable to a wide range of substrates.

## Abstract

An efficient synthesis of a variety of alkenyl methyl thioethers from acrylonitriles and dimethyl sulfoxide is described. This copper acetate mediated thiomethylation reaction provides the corresponding products with broad substrate scope in moderate to excellent yields. This transformation is achieved through direct functionalization of vinylic C–H bonds, resulting in stereospecific formation of the formal cyanothiolation product of internal alkynes.

An efficient synthesis of alkenyl methyl thioethers through direct C–H functionalization from acrylonitriles with DMSO as the methylthio source.