2020
W. Weber et al. / Tetrahedron 69 (2013) 2017e2021
in organic solvents besides carbon disulfide and toluene. The yield
was 12.90 g (58%) of yellow crystals, mp 161e162 ꢀC (CS2).
4.5. Synthesis of O,O0-diethyl pentathiotricarbonate 7
Potassium O-ethyldithiocarbonate 1c (6.40 g, 39.9 mmol)
was dissolved in dry benzene (30 mL). Thiophosgene (2.60 g,
22.6 mmol, w90%) in benzene (10 mL) was added over 20 min
under cooling with ice-water. The solution turned black and was
stirred overnight. The solvent was removed by evaporation,
the residue washed with water and the dark red oil extracted
with pentane. After drying over sodium sulfate, the solvent was
removed. The oil (5.40 g) was purified by column chromatography
over silica with pentane as solvent.
4.3.3. Synthesis of 3a and dibenzyl heptathiotricarbonate 2a in
diethylether. Potassium benzyl carbonotrithioate 1a (4.75 g,
19.9 mmol) was suspended in dry diethylether (30 mL) Thio-
phosgene (1.30 g, 11.3 mmol, 90%) in diethylether (20 mL) was
added dropwise to an ice-cooled suspension thereof. The solution
turned red. After 75 min the formed solid was filtered off, washed
successively with diethylether, water and diethylether, and dried
overnight at 50 ꢀC to afford 3a as a yellow powder. Yield: 2.25 g
(51%), mp 160e161 ꢀC (CS2).
The organic solvent was evaporated and the remaining red oil
(2.2 g) stored in the refrigerator overnight. The oil solidified and
a further 0.55 g (12%) of 3a was separated and washed with a few
mL of THF. The residual oil was then purified by column chroma-
tography on silica with pentane/ethylacetate (2:1), followed by
another column separation with pure pentane as eluent. The
isolated red oil/low melting solid, 2a still contained a colorless
impurity in all relevant fractions.
Yield: 2.3 g (40%) of a dark red oil.
IR (neat) 1600, 1493, 1451, 1230, 1198, 1057, 756, 692 cmꢁ1
.
1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3)
d (ppm): 4.68 (4 H, q, CH3CH2,
J¼6 Hz), 1.49 (6 H, t, CH3CH2, J¼6 Hz).
13C NMR (75.4 MHz, CDCl3)
71.69 (CH2), 13.39 (CH3).
d (ppm): 209.12 (C]S), 202.97 (C]S),
After two weeks storage at ꢁ5 ꢀC parts of the oil crystallized. The
separated solid was washed with diethylether until colorless and
1.3 g (22%) of the dimeric 8 was isolated.
Yield: 0.35 g (8%).
1H NMR (300 MHz, CS2/CDCl3):
d
(ppm) 7.27e7.18 (10 H, m, Ar),
(ppm) 219.42 (C]S), 213.19
4.6. Synthesis of S,S0,S00,S000-1,3-dithietane-2,2,4,4-tetrayl-
O,O0,O00,O000-tetraethyl tetrakis(dithiocarbonate) 812
4.44 (4 H, s, CH2).
13C NMR (75.4 MHz, CS2/CDCl3):
d
(C]S), 133.49, 129.21, 128.67, 127.90 (Ar), 43.32 (CH2).
Potassium O-ethyldithiocarbonate 1c (8.00 g, 49.9 mmol) was
suspended in dry diethylether (75 mL) at room temperature under
stirring. Thiophosgene (2.60 g, 22.6 mmol, 90%) in dry diethylether
(20 mL) was added dropwise over 20 min. The solvent turned red
(not black as with benzene) and the solid slowly dissolved and
a white precipitate separated out. After stirring for 75 min at room
temperature, the solid 8 was filtered off, washed successively with
water and diethylether. The solvent was evaporated and the red
residue extracted with pentane. The resulting red oil (0.2 g, 3%)
4.4. Reactions of 3a
4.4.1. Reaction of 3a with n-propylamine to dibenzyldisulfide
4 (aminolysis). Compound 3a (8.90 g, 10.1 mmol) was suspended in
THF (100 mL) and n-propylamine (2.50 g, 42.3 mmol) added
under stirring at room temperature. The stirring was continued
for 60 min, whereupon 3a dissolved and the solution turned
orange-red. Precipitated sulfur was filtered off and the solvent
removed. The residue was washed with water and the remaining
crystals/oils extracted several times with pentane. After the
removal of the solvent by evaporation a near colorless solid
remained, which was recrystallized from pentane. The remainder
from the extraction of 4 consisted of a multi-component orange oil.
Colorless crystals, Yield: 3.85 g (78%), mp 70e71 ꢀC (pentane)
[mp lit.9c 71e72 ꢀC].
consisted mostly of O,O0-diethyl pentathiotricarbonate
7 and
decomposed overnight at room temperature.
Yield: 5.45 g (95%) of a whitish powder, mp 163e164 ꢀC
(mp lit.12 161 ꢀC).
1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3):
d (ppm) 4.54 (8 H, q, CH3CH2,
J¼7.2 Hz), 1.43 (12 H, t, CH3CH2, J¼7.2 Hz).
13C NMR (75.4 MHz, CDCl3):
69.12 (CH2), 13.76 (CH3).
d (ppm) 209.85 (C]S), 192.10 (CS2),
1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3):
d
(ppm) 7.34e7.22 (10 H, m, Ar), 3.59
The 13C NMR signal for the quaternary carbon could not be
(4 H, s, CH2).
13C NMR (75.4 MHz, CDCl3)
127.40 (Ar), 43.26 (CH2).
d
(ppm): 137.34, 129.39, 128.45,
unequivocally identified.
Acknowledgements
4.4.2. Thermolysis of 3a in chlorobenzene to bis(benzylsulfanyl
thiocarbonyl)disulfide 5 and dibenzyl trithiocarbonate 6. Compound
3a 4.45 g (5.0 mmol) was suspended in dry chlorobenzene (20 mL)
and heated under reflux. The color of the solvent changed from
yellow over green to dark red, while 3a dissolved over time. After
2 h the reaction was stopped and the solvent removed. The dark red
residue was extracted with pentane until the solvent stayed
colorless. The remainder was partially soluble in diethylether and
fully soluble in chloroform. It contained several yellow and red
components, which were not further identified.
The authors acknowledge the financial support of Mpact Lim-
ited. Jan Gertenbach and Vincent Smith (Department of Chemistry
and Polymer Science, Stellenbosch University) are acknowledged
for carrying out the single crystal X-ray analysis of the selected
structure 3a.
References and notes
1. Degani, I.; Fochi, R.; Gatti, A.; Regondi, V. Synthesis 1986, 894e899.
2. Godt, H. C.; Wann, R. E. J. Org. Chem. 1961, 26, 4047e4051.
3. Mayadunne, R. T. A.; Rizzardo, E.; Chiefari, J.; Krstina, J.; Moad, G.; Postma, A.;
Thang, S. H. Macromolecules 2000, 33, 243e245.
4. Wood, M. R.; Duncalf, D. J.; Rannard, S. P.; Perrier, S. Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 553e556.
5. Weber, W. G.; McLeary, J. B.; Gertenbach, J.-A.; Loots, L. Acta Crystallogr. E 2008,
E 64, o250/1eo250/9.
6. Nilsson, N. H. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1 1974, 1308e1311.
7. Kato, S.; Shibahashi, H.; Katada, T.; Tagagi, T.; Noda, I.; Mizuta, M.; Goto, M.
Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1982, 7, 1229e1244.
8. (a) Macromolecular Syntheses; Wittbecker, E. L., Ed.; John Wiley & Sons: New
York, NY, 1974; Vol. 5, pp 25e33; (b) Christensen, S. B.; Senning, A. Sulfur Lett.
2000, 24, 23e27; (c) Zoller, U. Sulfur Lett. 2002, 25, 115e121.
The pentane was again removed and the orange residue sepa-
rated on silica by column chromatography with pentane as eluent.
The fractions with the first two yellow components were collected
and processed further.
The products were identified by their 1H and 13C NMR spectra,
melting points and TLC comparison with independently prepared
samples:
Bis(benzylsulfanyl thiocarbonyl)disulfide 5, yellow crystals
(0.20 g, 5%).
Dibenzyl trithiocarbonate 6, yellow oil/crystals (0.30 g, 10%).