Synthesis and preliminary antimicrobial screening of two thiosulfonates

Tetramethylene bis(methanethiosulfonate), the S-ester analog of busulfan, was prepared by reacting 1,4-dibromobutane with potassium methanethiosulfonate. 2,4-Dichlorophenyl methanethiosulfonate was prepared by reacting sodium methanesulfinate with 2,4-dichlorobenzenesulfenyl chloride. Neither compound showed antifungal activity against Microsporum audouini or Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Although tetramethylene bis(methanethiosulfonate) was more active against Staphylococcus aureus than was 2,4-dichlorophenyl methanethiosulfonate, neither compound was as active as the streptomycin control.