Sulfenylation of heterocyclic 1,3‐dicarbonyl systems: 4‐Hydroxy‐2‐pyrones, 6‐hydroxy‐4‐pyrimidones, 4‐hydroxy‐2‐pyridones, 4‐hydroxy‐6‐pyridazinones,and 5‐hydroxy‐3‐pyrazolones

Anions of enolized heteroaromatic 1,3‐dicarbonyl systems, such as the title compounds 1, 9,14 , and 19 , react in dimethylformamide in the presence of potassium carbonate with diaryl disulfides 2 to yield arylsulfenyl derivatives ( 3, 10, 15, 20 ). The arylthiolate anions 4 formed in this reaction can be oxidized by air to yield the starting disulfides 2 again. Tetraalkylthiuram disulfides 7 react in the same manner to yield dialkylaminothiocarbonylthio derivatives ( 8, 13, 18 ) of the title compounds. Oxidation of the arylsulfenyl derivatives with hydrogen peroxide in sodium hydroxide solution usually leads to sulfoxides ( 5, 11, 16 ), whereas oxidation with peracetic acid affords sulfones ( 6, 12, 17 ).