Formation of 1,1,2,3,3-pentakis(arylthio)-1-propenes from tris(arylthio)cyclopropenyl cations and their conversion into 1,1,2,5,6,6-hexakis(arylthio)-(3E)-1,3,5-hexatriene^†

The reaction of tetrachlorocyclopropene (1) with arenethiols (2a–e), followed by treatmentwith perchloric acid, gave tris(arylthio)cyclopropenylium perchlorates (3a–c and e), 1,1,2,3,3-pentakis(arylthio)-1-propenes (4a–d), and 2,3,3-tris(arylthio)propenals (5a–d). The structures of tris(phenylthio)cyclopropenylium perchlorate (3a), 1,1,2,3,3-pentakis(phenylthio)-1-propene (4a), and 2,3,3-tris(o-tolylthio)propenal (5b) were analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The yields depended significantly on the electron-withdrawing property of the substituents of the arenethiols and the molar ratio of 2 to 1. The reaction with 2,6-dimethylbenzenethiol (2e) gave only tris(2,6-dimethylphenylthio)cyclopropenylium perchlorate (3e) without the formation of 4e and 5e. Compounds 5a–d were produced by acid hydrolysis of 4a–d. Pyrolysis of 4a–d gave (3R,4S)-1,1,2,3,4,5,6,6-octakis(arylthio)-1,5-hexadienes (9a–d) and 1,1,2,5,6,6-hexakis(arylthio)-(3E)-1,3,5-hexatrienes (10a–d) together with diaryl disulfides (11a–d). Compound 10a was also produced by photolysis. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 9:387–397, 1998