Radical-mediated reduction of the dithiocarbamate group under tin-free conditions

Reductive desulfurisation of dithiocarbamates is conveniently achieved using H3PO2 Et3N ACCN in refluxing dioxane. Fused and spirocyclic beta-lactams, prepared through 4-exo trig carbamoyl radical cyclisation-dithiocarbamate group transfer reactions, are reduced without fragmentation of the strained 4-membered ring. Diethyl tetraacetyl-D-glucopyranosyl dithiocarbamate is selectively reduced with or without acyloxy group migration depending on reaction conditions and choice of reductant. Deuterium incorporation from D3PO2-Et3N is observed for a system involving a nucleophilic radical intermediate, but not in the case of the electrophilic radical obtained through acyloxy group migration on a glucose derivative.