文摘
[(Me2S)Au]+ cations, generated from (Me2S)AuCl and AgSbF6 in dichloromethane at 0鈥?0 掳C, serve as sources of solvated Au+ (alongside unreactive [Au(SMe2)2]+), which reacts with the methyl-substituted arenes C6Me6鈥?i>nHn (n = 0鈥?) with C鈥揌 bond cleavage to give the sulfonium salts [C6Me5鈥?i>nHnCH2SMe2]+. There was no evidence for arene 蟺 coordination to Au+ or for the formation of 蟽-bonded Au鈥揵enzyl species. Surprisingly, the reaction of Au+ with CH2Ar2 leads to C鈥揅 bond cleavage (Ar = 2,4,6-C6H2Me3). The reactions are highly selective for benzylic C鈥揌 and C鈥揅 bonds, whereas metalation of the arene ring is not observed.