Preparation of bis(heteroaryl)iodonium salts via an iodonium transfer reaction between di(cyano)iodonium triflate and organostannes

Di(cyano)iodonium triflate 5 generated in situ from iodosyl triflate (0 = I‐OTf) and cyanotrimethylsilane is a preferred reagent for the preparation of various bis(heteroaryl)iodonium triflate salts 11–15 via an iodonium transfer reaction with the corresponding tributyltin substituted heterocycles 6–10. Novel heteroaromatic iodonium salts 3, 11–15 were isolated in good yields as relatively stable microcrystalline solids and characterized by multinuclear nmr, ir and hrms data.