Bis(dimesitylmethylene)-1,3-dithietane, -1,2,4-trithiane, and -1,2,4,5-tetrathiane. Conformation and DNMR Study. Observable Dimesityl Thioketene

The reaction of dimesityl ketene with P₂S₅ and pyridine gives 2,4-bis(dimesitylmethylene)-1,3-dithietane (3), 3,6-bis(dimesitylmethylene)-1,2,4,5-tetrathiane (4), 3,5-bis(dimesitylmethylene)-1,2,4-trithiane (5), and dimesityl thioketene 2 as a transient. The structures of 3 and 4 were determined by X-ray crystallography. The dimesitylmethylene moieties in 3 and 4 have a propeller conformation, and the tetrathiane ring in 4 has a twist-boat conformation. Static NMR data are consistent with the presence of two enantiomers and one meso form for 3 and of three pairs of enantiomers for 4. The several aromatic signals observed for 3 and 4 at slow exchange at 160 K coalesce to a single signal at higher temperatures. The threshold barriers for these dynamic processes are 12.7 (3) and 13.3 (4) kcal mol^-1, and the dynamic behavior was analyzed in terms of flip processes. On standing, a solution of 3 develops a blue color which is attributed to formation of 2, by retro-dimerization of 3. Diphenylacetyl chloride gives with P₂S₅ the analog of 5 and its one-double bond reduction product. Ditipylketene forms a product identified tentatively as the analog of 3.