Jm. Mellor et al., ROUTES TO BUILDING-BLOCKS FOR HETEROCYCLIC SYNTHESIS BY REDUCTION OF KETENE DITHIOACETALS, Tetrahedron, 53(50), 1997, pp. 17151-17162
Two general methods have been developed permitting the effective reduc
tion of ketene dithioacetals to give substituted dithianes. Reduction
with magnesium in methanol is less reliable than reduction with zinc i
n acetic acid. The greater inconsistency of magnesium in methanol has
been investigated by a cyclic voltammetric study of the substrates. Th
e utility of the dithianes has been successfully illustrated by cyclis
ations to afford, after deprotection, a variety of heterocyclic aldehy
des. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.