Conversion of Amines into Phenylsulfides and Phenylselenides via Ditosylamides

Amines are converted in good to excellent yields to phenylsulfides or phenyl-selenides via nucleophilic displacement on the corresponding ditosylamides. The conversion of (?)-(S)-1-phenylethylamine to the chiral phenylsulfide 6 was found to proceed with inversion of configuration. A simple one-pot procedure for the preparation of ditosylamides is reported.