Tautomer chemistry of thiazolidines. 1-Thia-4-azaspiro[4,5] decanes

The thiazolidine, 1-thia-4-azaspiro4,5] decane (Ia), which is derived from cyclohexanone and 2-aminoethanethiol (X), forms a thiazolidone (VIII) with mercaptoacetic acid more slowly and in lower yield than with 2-phenylthiazolidine, a case reported previously. A thiazolidine which is related to a non-conjugate chain tautomer such as Ic, might be expected to behave in this way. Alkylation, as another possible example of tautomer chemistry, was studied, and N-, S-, and C-alkylation were all observed under varying circumstances. Thus, thiazolidine la undergoes alkylation with methyl iodide in ethanol to form the N-methylthiazolidine (IIa), and in sodium-liquid ammonia to give the S-methyl derivative (III). In the latter case, alkylation occurs with reductive cleavage. Although no trace of other tautomer derivatives (IV, V) was to be found in the methyl iodide alkylation, I with acrylonitrile did in fact give C-alkylation. An analytically pure mixture of tautomers was obtained, from which 2-oxocyclohexanepropionitrile (VI) was isolated on hydrolysis. In a manner similar to the formation of III, IIa was S-alkylated by treatment with sodium-liquid ammonia followed by benzyl chloride to give a saturated product (XVII). Although such a process might be identified with a chain tautomer (IIb), the evidence is to the contrary, since the intermediate (XIV), which might be involved in such a process, fails to undergo a similar reduction with sodium-liquid ammonia. A greatly improved procedure for the preparation of thiazolidine (XI, 86% yield) is also reported.