A straightforward and novel synthesis of sulfur compounds from aliphatic cyclic ketones and CS2

The reaction of aliphatic cyclic ketones with carbon disulfide under basic conditions, followed by an acidic treatment, unexpectedly afforded—in a mild, one‐pot reaction—sulfur compounds, such as 1,2‐dithiole‐3‐thiones, 1,3‐dithiole‐4‐thiones, 1,3‐dithiin‐4‐thiones, 1,2,4‐trithioles, and dixanthates, instead of the usual conjugated α‐oxoketene dithiolic acids. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 11:120–128, 2000