A facile method was developed for the selective thioetherification of uracils using sulfonylhydrazide as the thioetherification reagent. This method offers advantages such as avoiding the use of additives and expensive metal catalysts, and providing good to excellent yields of various uracil thioethers. Experimental studies have demonstrated that the reaction follows a free radical pathway. Notably
efficient iodide-catalyzed/hydrogen peroxide mediated sulfenylation and selenylation of unprotected uracil and its derivatives with simple thiols and diselenides was established. This coupling tolerates a broad variety of functional groups to provide diverse 5-sulfur/selenium-substituted uracilderivatives in good to excellent yields (up to 93%).