Methylthiomethyl ethers, formation oxidations with activated DMSO

Very rarely, some quantity of methylthiomethyl ether is formed.93 It must be mentioned that the formation of methylthiomethyl ethers in oxidation with activated DMSO can be minimized by the use of low polarity solvents.117... 

Additionally, it must be mentioned that the formation of methylthio-methyl ethers in oxidations with activated DMSO is minimized by the use of solvents of low polarity.123 Hence, the routine use of CH2CI2—which possesses a good balance of solubilizing power versus low polarity—is practiced in Omura-Sharma-Swern and MofTatt oxidations. The formation of side compounds—both trifluoroacetates and methylthiomethyl ethers—is decreased by using more diluted reaction conditions under Procedure C, while concentration has little effect on the yield in oxidations performed under Procedure A.124... 

The activated DMSO 9 can also suffer an elimination, resulting in the highly reactive H2C=S(+)-CH3 species that can react with the alcohol, yielding a methylthiomethyl ether 13 as a side compound. Fortunately, this elimination demands a higher temperature than the normal temperature of oxidation, and a proper control of the temperature minimizes the formation of the methylthiomethyl ether side compound. 

The surplus activated DMSO, which remains unreacted after the activation of the alcohol during a Swern oxidation, decomposes on heating, generating the highly reactive species H2C=S(+)-Me (page 97). This species can react with tertiary alcohols present in the molecule, resulting in the formation of a methylthiomethyl ether.237... 

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