Thiirene dioxides, cycloaddition reactions

As formal a, /i-unsaturated sulfones and sulfoxides, respectively, both thiirene dioxides (19) and thiirene oxides (18) should be capable, in principle, of undergoing cycloaddition reactions with either electron-rich olefins or serving as electrophilic dipolarophiles in 2 + 3 cycloadditions. The ultimate products in such cycloadditions are expected to be a consequence of rearrangements of the initially formed cycloadducts, and/or loss of sulfur dioxide (or sulfur monoxide) following the cycloaddition step, depending on the particular reaction conditions. The relative ease of the cycloaddition should provide some indication concerning the extent of the aromaticity in these systems2. 

The ring-opening process leading to 164 (route a) is analogous to that which has been demonstrated to follow the cycloadditions of tosyl azide to certain enamines176. Similar results have been reported for the reaction of 2,3-diphenylcyclopropenone with 2-diazopropane177. Other 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions with thiirene dioxides could also be affected (see below). 

The synthetic potential of such transformations for the preparation of medium-size heterocycles172 has been discussed elsewhere2. It is generally accepted that the reaction between thiirene dioxides and enamines is a stepwise (nonconcerted) thermal [2 -I- 2] cycloaddition. However, a concerted [4 + 2] cycloaddition, in which the lone pair of the enamine nitrogen atom participates, cannot be excluded. 

Intermediates of type 42 may be generated by cycloaddition reactions. Thus, when the thiirene 1,1-dioxide 45 was treated with the mesoionic compound 46 at ambient temperature, the sulfone 44b was produced in high yield the thiazine dioxide 44a was prepared in a similar manner. It is noteworthy that the intermediate cycloadducts 47a and 47b lost carbon dioxide in preference to sulfur dioxide. 

The decomposition of cyclic sulfones and sulfoxides has attracted increasing attention recently in view of their relationship to cyclic fragmentation reactions and of the dramatic impact of the Woodward-Hoffman rules for intermolecular cycloaddition and electrocyclic ring opening reactions. The simplest cyclic sulfone known is 2,3-diphenyl thiirene-1,1-dioxide (A) which was isolated by Carpino and McAdams by the Ramberg-Backlund base catalyzed dehydrohalogenation of a, a -dibromodibenzylsulfone, viz. 

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