Attempts to Synthesize a Thiirane,Selenirane, and Thiirene by Dealkylation of Chalcogeniranium and Thiirenium Salts

Thiiranium salts Ad₂SR]⁺X⁻ ( 5 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 12 ; X⁻=Tf₂N⁻ (Tf=CF₃SO₂), SbCl₆⁻) and seleniranium salts Ad₂SeR]⁺X⁻ ( 14 , 16 , 17 , 23 – 25 ; X⁻=Tf₂N⁻, BF₄⁻, CHB₁₁Cl₁₁⁻, SbCl₆⁻) are synthesized from strained alkene bis(adamantylidene) ( 1 ). The disulfides and the diselenides (Me₃SiCH₂CH₂E)₂ ( 4 , 13 ), (tBuMe₂SiCH₂CH₂E)₂ ( 7 , 22 ), and (NCCH₂CH₂E)₂ ( 10 , 15 ; E=S, Se) have been used. The thiirenium salts tBu₂C₂SR]⁺X⁻ ( 34 ) and Ad₂C₂SR]⁺X⁻ ( 35 , 36 ) are prepared from the bis-tert-butylacetylene ( 2 ) and bis-adamantyl-acetylene ( 3 ) with R=Me₃SiCH₂CH₂ and tBuMe₂SiCH₂CH₂. Attempts to cleave off the groups Me₃SiCH₂CH₂, tBuMe₂SiCH₂CH₂, and NCCH₂CH₂ resulted in thiiranes 27 , 30 . No selenirane Ad₂Se ( 33 ) is formed from seleniranium salts, instead cleavage to the alkene ( 1 ) and diselenide ( 13 , 15 ) occurs. The thiirenium salt Ad₂C₂SCH₂CH₂SiMe₃]⁺Tf₂N⁻ ( 35 ) does not yield the thiirene Ad₂C₂S ( 37 ), the three-membered ring is cleaved, forming the alkyne ( 3 ) and disulfide ( 4 ). All compounds are characterized by ESI mass spectra, NMR spectra, and by quantum chemical calculations. Crystal structures of the salts 8 , 12 , 25 , 17 , 26 , 36 and the thiiranes 27 , 30 are presented.