Generation of thioaldehydes from sodium thiosulphate S-esters (Bunte salts)

Abstract

Treatment of Bunte salts, ZCH2SSO3Na where Z is an electron-withdrawing group, with triethylamine and calcium chloride in the presence of cyclopentadiene or 2,3-dimethylbuta-1,3-diene gives the corresponding cycloadducts of the transient thioaldehydes, ZCHS; the cyclopentadiene adducts dissociate upon heating thereby allowing transfer of the thioldehydes to dimethylbutadiene.