Cyanosilylation of alpha-butylthioacrolein with trimethylsilyl cyanide
occurs as 1,2-addition. Concurrent rapid dimerization of alpha-butylt
hioacrolein occurred both in the presence and in the absence of H2PtCl
6 . 6H(2)O as a catalyst to give 5-dibutylthio-2,3-dihydro-4H-pyran-2-
carbaldehyde, whose cyanosilylation afforded the corresponding cyanohy
drin. The latter is prone to retrodiene degradation upon heating.