Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction
Published on: January 19, 2016
Molecular transformations of unsaturated thiacrown ethers
Takahiro Tsuchiya1, Yosuke Okada, Toshio Shimizu
1Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Minami-ohsawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan.
Unsaturated thiacrown ethers were oxidized to sulfoxides using m-CPBA or t-BuOCl. Further reactions yielded cis-trans isomers or acetals, showcasing diverse chemical transformations of these cyclic thioethers.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Supramolecular Chemistry
Background:
- Thiacrown ethers are macrocyclic compounds containing sulfur atoms.
- Their unsaturated derivatives offer unique reactivity for chemical synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the oxidation and isomerization reactions of unsaturated thiacrown ethers.
- To explore the formation of sulfoxides, cis-trans isomers, and acetals.
Main Methods:
- Oxidation using meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA).
- Reactions with tert-butyl hypochlorite (t-BuOCl) at varying temperatures.
- Photochemical reactions and reactions with N-halosuccinimides (NCS, NCP, NBS, NBP).
Main Results:
- Thiacrown ethers were successfully oxidized to sulfoxides.
- cis-trans isomerization was achieved using t-BuOCl at room temperature, photochemically, or with NCS/NCP.
- Acetal formation was observed with NBS/NBP via a bromonium intermediate.
Conclusions:
- Unsaturated thiacrown ethers exhibit diverse reactivity under different chemical conditions.
- Selective oxidation, isomerization, and acetalization pathways can be controlled.
- These findings contribute to the synthetic utility of thiacrown ether derivatives.
More Related Videos
13:09Utilization of Stop-flow Micro-tubing Reactors for the Development of Organic Transformations
Published on: January 4, 2018
06:31Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of 1,6-Ketoesters Mediated by Ionic Liquids: A Three-component Reaction Enabling Rapid Access to a New Class of Low Molecular Weight Gelators
Published on: November 27, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Crown Ethers
[3,3] Sigmatropic Rearrangement of Allyl Vinyl Ethers: Claisen Rearrangement
Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
Thermal Sigmatropic Reactions: Overview
Sigmatropic shifts are classified based on an order term [i, j ], where i and j indicate the number of atoms across which each end of the σ bond migrates. Below are examples of a [3,3] sigmatropic shift in 1,5-hexadiene, referred to as...
Preparation and Reactions of Sulfides