Indirect cation pool method. Rapid generation of alkoxycarbenium ion pools from thioacetals

A sequential one-pot indirect cation pool method has been developed. The method involves the electrochemical generation and accumulation of ArS(ArSSAr)+ at low temperature (step 1) and the follow-up reaction with a thioacetal to generate an alkoxycarbenium ion pool (step 2), which reacts with various carbon nucleophiles (step 3). Steps 2 and 3 are extremely fast. The electrogenerated ArS(ArSSAr)+ was well-characterized by 1H NMR and CSI-MS. The alkoxycarbenium ion pool generated by the present indirect method exhibited 1H and 13C NMR spectra and thermal stability similar to those of the alkoxycarbenium ion pool generated by the direct electrochemical method.