3,4-BIS(L-ADAMANTYL)-1,2-DITHIETE - THE FIRST STRUCTURALLY CHARACTERIZED DITHIETE UNSUPPORTED BY A RING OR BENZENOID FRAME

The structure determination of 3,4-bis(1-adamantyl)-1,2-dithiete, (C10 H15)(2)C2S2 or C22H30S2, reported herein is the first crystallographic characterization of a 1,2-dithiete molecule unsupported by a benzenoi d frame. Two independent molecules exist in the asymmetric unit separa ted by a pseudo-inversion center. The S2C2 four-membered dithiete ring is planar, with a trapezoidal shape enforced by the longer disulfide bond [average 2.086 (2) Angstrom] compared with the olefinic bond [ave rage 1.363 (6) Angstrom]. The adamantyl substituents differ from one a nother by adopting slightly different rotational conformations with re spect to the dithiete ring. The quaternary C atoms of the adamantyl gr oups deviate only slightly from the plane of the dithiete ring (averag e displacement of 0.023 Angstrom).