Photoisomerization of 2H,6H-Thiin-3-ones to 2-(Alk-1-enyl)thietan-3-ones

Reaction of 3-bromo-3-methylbutan-2-one ( 1 ) with mercapto-esters 2 affords 5-oxo-3-thiahexanoates 3 which cyclize to thiane-3,5-diones 4 . Conversion of these dicarbonyl compounds to their ethyl enol ethers 5–7 followed by reduction with LiAlH₄ gives 2H,6H-thiin-3-ones 8–10 . On irradiation (350 nm) in either MeCN, benzene, or i-PrOH, these newly synthesized heterocycles isomerize efficiently to 2-(alk-l-enyl)thietan-3-ones 11–13 . The rearrangement seems to proceed from an excited singlet state, as it is not quenched by naphthalene, and also occurs with the same efficiency in the presence of added alkene. A (9-S-3) sulfuranyl-alkyl biradical formed by bonding of C(α) of the enone C?C bond on sulfur is discussed as possible intermediate.