N-Trifluoroacetyl arenesulfenamides, effective precursors for synthesis of unsymmetrical disulfides and sulfenamides

N-Trifluoroacetyl arenesulfenamides () were effective precursors for the synthesis of unsymmetrical disulfides () and sulfenamides (). Reactions of with a variety of aromatic thiols at room temperature were generally complete within 5 min and gave unsymmetrical diaryl disulfides in high yields. Aralkyl disulfides were isolated in high yields from the reaction of with aliphatic thiols. The nucleophilic substitution reactions of with amines proceeded smoothly and provided N-substituted sulfenamides in good to excellent yields.