Efficient synthesis of cis-thiazolidinethiones derived from ephedrines

The reaction of chlorodeoxypseudoephedrine or chlorodeoxynorpseudoephedrine hydrochlorides with sodium dithiocarbonate in stirring ethanol at 0 °C to stereoselectively afford the corresponding cis-thiazolidinethiones in good yields (81% and 95%) is reported. The in situ formation of a cis-aziridine to explain the presence of trans-thiazolidinethione as a side product is proposed when the same reaction was carried out at room temperature. In addition, a 70:30 mixture of trans-isomers of a thiazolidinethione/isothiazolidinethione was formed when a cis-aziridine NH was reacted with carbon disulfide in refluxing ethanol. The analogous reaction with cis-aziridine N-Me stereoselectively affords the corresponding cis-thiazolidinethione. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR data of the thiazolidinethiones were assigned. cis-3,4-Dimethyl-5-phenylthiazolidine-2-thione was crystallized from ethanol and its X-ray diffraction structure was analyzed.