# A novel method for the mechanochemical synthesis of unsymmetrical disulfides using phosphorodithioic acid derivatives

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new method to create unsymmetrical disulfides using ball-milling without solvents, offering a greener and more efficient approach for pharmaceutical applications.

## Contribution

The study presents a novel mechanochemical method for synthesizing unsymmetrical disulfides using phosphorodithioic acid derivatives and cesium carbonate.

## Key findings

- Unsymmetrical disulfides were synthesized efficiently without solvent or symmetrical byproducts.
- Cesium carbonate replaced triethylamine, improving environmental sustainability.
- The method works for alkyl-alkyl, alkyl-aryl, and aryl-aryl disulfide types.

## Abstract

In this study, we report the efficient synthesis of unsymmetrical disulfides using a mechanochemical ball-milling approach. This research successfully yielded alkyl-alkyl, alkyl-aryl, and aryl-aryl unsymmetrical disulfides without any detectable formation of symmetrical products. Additionally, we eliminated the use of solvent in the reaction mixture and replaced triethylamine with the more environmentally friendly cesium carbonate as a base. These results represent a significant advancement in the modern synthesis of disulfides, which have applications in pharmacology.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-29563-5.