Reactions of aromatic ketones with 3‐mercapto‐1,2‐propanediol. Synthesis of cis‐ and trans‐2‐alkyl‐2‐aryl‐(1,3‐oxathiolane‐5‐methanols and 1,3‐dioxolane‐4‐methanethiols)

Aromatic ketones react with 3-mercapto-1,2-propanediol (1) in refluxing benzene under the catalytic influence of a sulfonic acid and with azeotropic removal of water to yield a mixture comprised predominantly of cis- and trans-2-alkyl-2-aryl-1,3-oxathiolane-5-methanols 7, accompanied by lesser amounts of cis- and trans-2-alkyl-2-aryl-1,3-dioxolane-4-methanethiols 8 (up to 30%). It was discovered that 8 is the kinetic product and is isomerized by 4-toluenesulfonic acid in hot benzene to the thermodynamically more stable 7. Under these conditions, ortho- and α-substituted aromatic ketones tend to produce more of 8, which can be attributed to steric hindrance encountered by the thiol as it attacks the ketone. Ketalizations of 1-aryl-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-1- as well as 1-aryl-2-(1,H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-1-ethanones by 1 fail under these conditions, even after 24 hours of reflux in toluene. However, 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-1-propanone and 1-(4-bromophenyl)-4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-1-butanone are ketalized by 1 as expected. Interestingly, the reaction of 2-bromo-4′-chloroace-tophenone with 1 produces 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,8-dioxa-6-thiabicyclo[3.2.1]octane. Characterization of all isomers and separation of some diastereomers is described. Nuclear Overhauser enhancement experiments are utilized to establish the stereochemistry of 1,3-oxathiolanes.