Thiete is a heterocyclic compound containing an unsaturated four-membered ring with three carbon atoms and one sulfur atom. It is more commonly encountered not on its own, but in anellated derivatives, several of which have been synthesized. Thietes are generally not very stable.
Structure Thiete is a valence isomer of the compound thioacrolein (CH2=CHCH=S) and undergoes ring opening to it when heated at temperatures below 400 °C. Thiete has been shown to be planar, with a C-S-C angle of 76.8 degrees. In principle, deprotonation should give a cyclic, planar anion with 6 π electrons, satisfying the Hückel criteria for aromaticity. Computer simulations in 1965 suggested that any aromatic stabilization was small, and other known approximation errors likely increased the instability. Certainly, attempts at deprotonation give only an uncharacterized mixture of decomposition products or nucleophilic substitution, even with relatively hindered bases.
Derivatives Benzothietes are thietes annulated to benzo group. Such species are prepared by flash vacuum pyrolysis of 2-mercaptobenzyl alcohols. They are precursors to other S-heterocycles. Thiete 1,1-dioxides are sulfones, the parent being C3H4SO2. They are more stable than the parent thietes. Substituted thiete-1,1-dioxides can be prepared through oxidation of thietes, elimination of thietane dioxides, or [2+2] cycloaddition of sulfenes and ynamines.
See also Dithiete - analogue with two sulfur atoms
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