THIOMETHYLATION OF KETONES BY SODIUM SULFIDE AND FORMALDEHYDE

The thiomethylation of propanol, butanol, cyclohexanone and acetopheno ne with a mixture of formaldehyde and sodium sulphide proceeds at 20 d egrees C and normal pressure for 1-7 hr. It has been established that the reactivity of ketones increases in the order butanone-cyclohexanon e-propanone-acetophenone. The conversion of sodium sulphide depends on its initial concentration, the nature of the ketone, and the presence in the reaction medium of sodium hydroxide and ethyl alcohol. It has been shown that the reaction proceeds with the preferential formation of keto-and diketosulphides. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.