Abstract
Although 1, 4-dithiin is comprised of a cyclic 8π-electron system, it is neither antiaromatic in character, nor aromatic as supposed earlier on the basis of possible dorbital participation. Its chemical properties are predominantly olefinic to provide versatile reactions with electrophiles as well as nucleophiles. In this article the advances of the chemistry of 1, 4-dithiins after early vintage by W. E. Parham are reviewed, covering the structure, preparation and reactivities.
