Dialkyl thioethers unsymmetrical

In contrast with the reactions involving sulphide or hydrogen sulphide anions, aryl alkyl thioethers and unsymmetrical dialkyl thioethers (Table 4.3) are obtained conveniently by the analogous nucleophilic substitution reactions between haloalkanes and aryl or alkylthiols under mildly basic conditions in the presence of a quaternary ammonium salt [9-15] or polymer-supported quaternary ammonium salt [16]. Dimethyl carbonate is a very effective agent in the formation of methyl thioethers (4.1.4.B) [17]. 

A superior and relatively versatile procedure for the synthesis of unsymmetrical dialkyl thioethers, which avoids the unattractive direct use of thiols, utilizes the stable l-alkylthioethaniminium halides, which are readily obtained from thioacet-amidc [32] (Scheme 4.4). The reaction has also been used for the synthesis of alkyl aryl thioethers from activated aryl halides [33], but it cannot be used for the synthesis of cyclic thioethers, as polymeric sulphides are formed from a,co-dihaloalkanes. A similar sequence to that which leads to the thioethers has been used for the synthesis of S-alkyl thioesters [34] (see 4.1.26). 

Synthesis of unsymmetrical dialkyl thioethers from 1-alkylthio-ethaniminium halides (Table 4.7)... 

An alternative procedure for the synthesis of unsymmetrical thioethers, which is equally versatile and also avoids the direct use of thiols, utilizes 0,5-dialkyl [35] or 5,5-dialkyl dithiocarbonates [36] (Scheme 4.5). 

In a one-pot synthesis of thioethers, starting from potassium 0-alkyl dithiocarbonate [36], the base hydrolyses of the intermediate dialkyl ester, and subsequent nucleophilic substitution reaction by the released thiolate anion upon the unhydrolysed 0,5-dialkyl ester produces the symmetrical thioether. Yields from the O-methyl ester tend to be poor, but are improved if cyclohexane is used as the solvent in the hydrolysis step (Table 4.13). In the alternative route from the 5,5-dialkyl dithiocarbonates, hydrolysis of the ester in the presence of an alkylating agent leads to the unsymmetrical thioether [39] (Table 4.14). The slow release of the thiolate anions in both reactions makes the procedure socially more acceptable and obviates losses by oxidation. 

Selected examples of unsymmetrical thioethers from 5,5-dialkyl dithiocarbonates... 

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