Abstract: A dechalcogenative method for the preparation of an allylic sulfide comprises contacting an activated chalcogenide of Formula (I) with a thiol of Formula (II) for a period of time sufficient to form an intermediate of Formula (III), and supplying sufficient activation energy to the intermediate of Formula (III), in a suitable solvent, preferably in the absence of a phosphine or other thiophile, to induce a [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement therein to form an allylic sulfide of Formula (IV), with concomitant loss of chalcogen Z, as set forth in the following reaction scheme, wherein X is an activating group selected from the group consisting of CN, S-pyridyl, S-heteroaryl, SO2-aryl, and SO3Y; Y is an alkali metal ion; Z is Se or S; R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 are each independently H or a hydrocarbon moiety; and R is an organic moiety.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of an allylic sulfide comprises contacting an activated sulfenyl compound of Formula (I) with a thiol of Formula (II) for a period of time sufficient to form an intermediate of Formula (III), and contacting the intermediate of Formula (III) with a thiophilic agent, in a polar solvent, to induce a [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement therein and thereby form an allylic sulfide of Formula (IV), with concomitant loss of a sulfur atom to the thiophilic agent, wherein in Formulas (I, II, II, and IV), X is S or SO2; Y is an aryl group, a substituted-aryl group, a heteroaryl group , or a substituted heteroaryl group; R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 are each independently H, a hydrocarbon moiety or a substituted hydrocarbon moiety; and R is an organic moiety.