Compounds with Potential Mercapto Groups

The mercapto form is much more strongly favored than is the hydroxy form for the corresponding oxygen compounds. A pertinent comparison in this respect is the greatly reduced inclination of enethiols to tautomerize to the corresponding thiocarbonyl compounds, in contrast to the facile ketonization of vinyl alcohols. 

The known 3-mercapto derivatives of furan, thiophene, selenophene (77ACS(B)198), benzothiophene (70JCS(C)243t) and indole (69TL4465) all exist as the 3-thiol tautomers. 

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Studies on the tautomerism of pyridazines with potential tautomeric groups have continued. On the basis of recorded ionization constants and UV spectra of 3,4,5-trimercaptopyridazine and its derivatives, it is concluded that the compound exists as 3,4-dimercaptopyridazine-5(2f/)-thione. Tautomerism of hydroxy- and mercaptopyridazines was investigated with the aid of the corresponding anhydro bases as reference compounds. They exist predominantly in the -one or -thione forms. Similarly, the 3-mercapto-pyridazine-6(l/f)-thione structure in aqueous solution has been redeter-... 

Potential 2-hydroxy- and 2-mercapto-l,3,4-thiadiazoles have been examined both by infrared and by ultraviolet spectra in the solid state and in solution by Sheinker et They concluded that these compounds exist in the 2-oxo and 2-thione forms, respectively. To 2,5-dimercapto-l,3,4-thiadiazole the 2-mercapto-5-thione structure (155) was given. The structure of this compound has been the subject of some controversy. Stanovnik and TiSler have added some valuable arguments to the discussion. They measured the pKfl values of 155, its iV-methyl, iV -phenyl, and iV -phenyl-/S-methyl derivatives (156), and of the conjugate acids of these and the S-methyl derivative (pKn ) (Table III). In all compounds 156 with R = H, the infrared spectrum showed an absorption band near 2300 cm characteristic of the SH group. They also had pK i values near —1.5, Avhich in connection with the infrared evidence was taken as characteristic of an SH group in this situation. Since the 2,5-dithiol structure is excluded by ultraviolet spectral evidence, the 2-mercapto-5-thione structure (155) seems rather well established. It has previously been shown bj Thorn to predominate in chloroform solution, whereas he concluded that the dithione form (157) should predominate in ethanol solution. However, the pK i value for 155, — 1.36, makes it rather probable that Thorn used the monoanion of 155 instead of the acid itself for spectral comparison, and in that case his conclusions have a very weak foundation. 

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