A facile method for the synthesis of 1,3-oxathiolan-2-ones by reaction of oxiranes, sulfur, and carbon monoxide

Abstract A new method for the synthesis of 1,3-oxathiolan-2-ones has been developed. When oxiranes were allowed to react with sulfur in the presence of a catalytic amount of sodium hydride under pressurized carbon monoxide, the three-component coupling of oxiranes, sulfur, and carbon monoxide smoothly proceeded to give the 1,3-oxathiolan-2-ones in moderate to good yields. The reaction proceeded with a high regioselectivity and stereospecificity. For the reaction of oxiranes possessing an aromatic ring, the yields of the 1,3-oxathiolan-2-ones were lower than that of the oxiranes possessing no aromatic ring due to the formation of alkenes and thiiranes as byproducts. However, the product yields were improved by the addition of a catalytic amount of selenium.