Synthesis of 5,6-dihydro-2H-thiins and 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxathiins based on 1-benzylsulfonyl-1,1-dihydropolyfluoroalkan-2-ones

1-Benzylsulfonyl-1,1-dihydropolyfluoroalkan-2-ones react with phthalimidosulfenyl chloride or succinimidosulfenyl chloride to form the sulfenylated products on the active methylene group, 1-benzylsulfonyl-1-phthalimido(succinimido)thiopolyfluoroalkan-2-ones. Decomposition of the latter leads to formation of 1-benzylsulfonyl-1-thioxopolyfluoroalkan-2-ones. These compounds easily undergo the hetero Diels-Alder reaction with electron-rich 1,3-dienes as dienophiles and with electron-rich olefins as hetero-1,3-dienes. Polyfluoroalkyl substituted derivatives of six-membered sulfur-containing heterocycles, 5,6-dihydro-2H-thiins and 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxathiins, are obtained as a result of these reactions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.