Synthesis and structural characterization of chiral thiacrowns: the crystal and molecular structure of (R,R,R)-2,6,10-trimethyl-1,5,9-trithiacyclododecane

The chiral polythioether macrocycles (R,R,R)-2,6,10-trimethyl-1,5,9-trithia cyclododecane [(R,R,R)-Me(3)12S3] (8), and (R,R,R,R)-2,6,10,14-tetramethyl- 1,5,9,13-tetrathiacyclohexadecane, [(R,R,R,R)-Me(4)16S4] (9), have been syn thesized from (R)-2-methhylthietane (7) by using the dirhenium carbonyl cat alyst Re-2(CO)(9)[(R)-2-SC(H)MeCH2CH2)] (10). The catalytic activity is low , 0.21 turnovers per hour, but is significantly above the uncatalyzed level . Compound 8 was characterized by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analys is that was able to establish the absolute configuration. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.