Of thiiranes

The H NMR spectrum of thiirane 1-oxide is complex (AA BB ) at 60 MHz 24 lines are cfbserved consisting of two sets of 12 centered about a midpoint. The H NMR chemical shift in thiirane 1,1-dioxide is fairly sensitive to solvent variations partly because of the high dipole moment (4.4 D) of the sulfone. The benzene-induced shift, A5 (CeDe-CCLt), is large (-1.04 p.p.m.), as expected from the presence of a sulfone group. Oxygen-17 chemical shifts for thiirane 1-oxide and thiirane 1,1-oxide are -71 and +111 p.p.m. respectively, relative to H2O. 

Absorptions in the UV spectra of thiiranes are observed around 260 nm ( - other transitions are reported in the vacuum UV spectrum, and the calculated lowest singlet transition energies correspond to n - oxirane groups behave as electron withdrawing substituents when attached to aromatic rings as indicated by the UV spectra of 2-arylthiiranes. 

The UV spectra of thiirane 1-oxide and (15,25)-(+)-2-methylthiirane 1-oxide show a broad maximum at about 205 nm (e —23 000). The latter shows a positive Cotton effect at low energy followed by a negative effect at high energy. The lowest excited states of thiirane 1-oxide involve excitations from the two lone pairs of the oxygen atom (79G19). 2,3-Diphenylthiirene 1-oxide and 1,1-dioxide show absorption due to the 1,2-diphenyl-ethylene chromophore. 

JOC1537). The mechanisms of these transformations may involve homolytic or heterolytic C —S bond fission. A sulfur-walk mechanism has been proposed to account for isomerization or automerization of Dewar thiophenes and their 5-oxides e.g. 31 in Scheme 17) (76JA4325). Calculations show that a symmetrical pyramidal intermediate with the sulfur atom centered over the plane of the four carbon atoms is unlikely <79JOU140l). Reactions which may be mechanistically similar to that shown in Scheme 18 are the thermal isomerization of thiirane (32 Scheme 19) (70CB949) and the rearrangement of (6) to a benzothio-phene (80JOC4366). 

The proton affinities (gas phase) of thiirane and other three-membered heterocycles have been determined azirane (902.5), thiirane (819.2), phosphirane (815.0), oxirane (793.3 kJ moF ) (80JA5151). Increasing s character in the lone electron pairs decreases proton affinities. Data derived from NMR chemical shifts in chloroform indicate the order of decreasing basicity is azirane > oxirane > thiirane (73CR(B)(276)335). The base strengths of four-, five- and six-membered cyclic sulfides are greater than that of thiirane. 

Acids are poor catalysts for ring cleavage of thiirane 1,1-dioxides but are good catalysts for reactions of thiirane 1-oxides with nucleophiles. These reactions of episulfoxides are believed to proceed by protonation of the oxygen atom (but see the NMR evidence cited above for 5-protonation in fluorosulfonic acid) and will be treated in the section on nucleophilic reactions. 

Electrophilic attack on the sulfur atom of thiiranes by alkyl halides does not give thiiranium salts but rather products derived from attack of the halide ion on the intermediate cyclic salt (B-81MI50602). Treatment of a s-2,3-dimethylthiirane with methyl iodide yields cis-2-butene by two possible mechanisms (Scheme 31). A stereoselective isomerization of alkenes is accomplished by conversion to a thiirane of opposite stereochemistry followed by desulfurization by methyl iodide (75TL2709). Treatment of thiiranes with alkyl chlorides and bromides gives 2-chloro- or 2-bromo-ethyl sulfides (Scheme 32). Intramolecular alkylation of the sulfur atom of a thiirane may occur if the geometry is favorable the intermediate sulfonium ions are unstable to nucleophilic attack and rearrangement may occur (Scheme 33). 

Phosgene reacts exothermically with thiirane in two steps (Scheme 36) (77MI50602). 3,5-Dinitrobenzoyl chloride and benzoyl fluoride initiate polymerization of thiirane. A novel reaction of benzoyl isocyanate or trichloroacetyl isocyanate, which yields ethylenethiol derivatives from epithiochlorohydrin (2-chloromethylthiirane), 2-methylthiirane or cyclohexene episulfide, has been reported (Scheme 37) (71BAU2432). 

Chlorination of thiiranes in hydroxylic solvents gives /3-chloroethylsulfonyl chlorides due to further oxidation of the intermediate sulfenyl chloride by chlorine or hypochlorous acid (Scheme 40). Polymer is usually obtained also unless the reaction is done in concentrated hydrochloric acid, which causes rapid ring cleavage to 2-chloroethylthiols which are subsequently oxidized to the sulfonyl chlorides. An 85% yield of (37) is obtained in concentrated hydrochloric acid-HCl(g) whereas only a 15% yield is obtained in CCI4-H2O. 

Treatment of a carborane derivative of thiirane with A-bromosuccinimide gives a j3-bromodisulfide (79MI50601). Chlorination of CM-2,3-di-f-butylthiirane by f-butyl hypochlorite proceeded differently to the reaction with chlorine itself (Scheme 41) (74JA3146). 

Chloroethyldisulfides are obtained by electrophilic attack on the sulfur atom of thiiranes by sulfenyl halides (Scheme 39). Sulfur dichloride and disulfur dichloride react similarly to give more sulfur-rich derivatives di- and tri-sulfenyl halides, and tri- and tetra-sulfides (Scheme 42). A 1 1 ratio of sulfur halide to thiirane gives the di- or tri-sulfenyl halide a 2 1 ratio the tri- or tetra-sulfide. Thiirane 1-oxides are cleaved by sulfenyl halides to thiolsulfinates (Scheme 43) (74JAP7440461). 

Oxygen nucleophiles usually attack a ring carbon atom rather than the sulfur atom of a thiirane, and those cases in which desulfurization is observed on treatment of a thiirane with oxygen bases probably involve the extrusion of sulfur by mechanisms other than a nucleophilic attack on sulfur, e.g. thermal. Desulfurization of thiirane intermediate (43)... 

The reaction of thiirane 1-oxides with water or methanol is usually acid-catalyzed and gives /3-substituted sulfenic acids which dimerize to thiolsulfinates (54 Scheme 70) (72JA5786). If acetic acid is used a mixture of disulfide (55) and thiolsulfonate (56) is obtained. Treatment of thiirane 1,1-dioxides with hydroxide ion may involve attack on carbon as well as on sulfur as exemplified by 2-phenylthiirane 1,1-dioxide (Scheme 71). 

Sodium or potassium hydrogen sulfite reacts with several thiiranes to give disulfides of /3-mercaptosulfonic acid salts (76EGP122086). Potassium thiocyanate in dimethylformamide or aqueous ethanol isomerizes thiiranes (Scheme 84) (72CJC3930). 1,2-Dithiols are obtained by treatment of thiiranes with NaBH2S3 obtained from sodium borohydride and sulfur (73TL1401). 

Thiirane 1-oxide undergoes acid-catalyzed ring opening by ethanethiol to give ethyl 2-ethylthioethyl disulfide. Treatment of thiirane 1,1-dioxide with thiolate anions, sodium sulfide or thiourea gives /3-mercaptosulfinic acid derivatives (75S55). Thiiranium ions are attacked at carbon by most sulfur nucleophiles (79ACR282), but see Section 5.06.3.4.3 for exceptions. 

Treatment of thiiranes with lithium aluminum hydride gives a thiolate ion formed by attack of hydride ion on the least hindered carbon atoms (76RCR25), The mechanism is 5n2, inversion occurring at the site of attack. Polymerization initiated by the thiolate ion is a side reaction and may even be the predominant reaction, e.g. with 2-phenoxymethylthiirane. Use of THF instead of ether as solvent is said to favor polymerization. Tetrahydroborates do not reduce the thiirane ring under mild conditions and can be used to reduce other functional groups in the presence of the episulfide. Sodium in ammonia reduces norbornene episulfide to the exo thiol. 

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