Abstract
During the preceding studies on the rearrangement of allylic xanthate to allylic dithiolcarbonate, 3) it was sometimes observed that the product was contaminated with trithiocarbonates. The present study was undertaken to clarify the formation condition and the formation mechanism of trithiocarbonates. As a result, it was concluded that sodium 2-alkenyl trithiocarbonate, the precursor of di(2-alkenyl) and 2-alkenyl alkyltrithiocarbonates, might be formed by the following routes : Sodium 2-alkenyl dithiolcarbonate was formed by thermal rearrangement of sodium 2-alkenyl xanthogenate and then decomposed into sodium 2-alkenyl sulfide which reacted with carbon disulfide to give sodium 2-alkenyl trithiocarbonate. For the preparation of unsymmetric trithiocarbonates, it is recommended that alcohols are reacted with excess carbon disulfide in dimethyl sulfoxide containing powdered sodium hydroxide.
