Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the preparation of aromatic disulfides represented by the formula (II): Yn—Ar—S—S—Ar—Yn  (II) wherein Ar represents a hydrocarbon aromatic ring group; Y represents a monovalent electrophilic group, and when n is 2 or more, a plural number of Y's may be the same or different from each other; and n is an integer of 1 to 12, which comprises allowing (A) an aromatic thioether represented by the formula (I): Yn—Ar—S—R  (I) wherein Y, Ar and n have the same meanings as defined above; and R represents a monovalent hydrocarbyl group selected from the group consisting of a monovalent tertiary hydrocarbyl group, and benzyl group and a monovalent secondary hydrocarbyl group derived from benzyl group; to react with (B) at least one of the following (1) to (4): (1) bromine; (2)(a) hydrogen bromide and (b) hydrogen peroxide; (3)(c) chlorine, in the presence of a catalytic amount of iodine and/or hydr

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an aromatic thiophenol represented by the formula (I): Yn—Ar—(SH)m(I), wherein Ar represents an aromatic hydrocarbon; Y represents at least one substituent bonded to a carbon atom constituting the aromatic ring of Ar, which substituent is selected from the group consisting of halogen, nitro, nitrile, sulfone, sulfamoyl and hydrocarbylsulfonyl groups; m is an integer of 1 or more; and n is an integer of 1 or more, which comprises (a) reacting an aromatic thioether represented by the formula (II): Yn—Ar—(SR)m(II), wherein R represents a monovalent secondary or tertiary hydrocarbyl, or a monovalent primary hydrocarbyl group represented by the formula: —CH2—R1 or —CH2—CR2═C (R2)2, wherein R1 represents a monovalent aromatic ring group optionally substituted by a monovalent hydrocarbyl group, and each of R2 is the same or different from each other and represents hydrogen or a monovalent hydrocarbyl group, with (A) a Lewis acid in