Pyrylium Compounds. 32. 2‐Methoxy‐2H‐thiopyrans from 2,4,6‐Triaryl‐thiopyrylium Salts
Reaction of 2,4,6‐triarylthiopyrylium salts 1 with sodium methoxide in absolute methanol yields isolable 2‐methoxy‐2H‐thiopyrans 2, the structure of which was proved spectroscopically. Using the 2,4,6‐triphenyl derivative 2a as model compound, the behaviour of the 2‐methoxy‐2H‐thiopyran system towards some nucleophiles and electrophiles was studied. Thus, on heating with ethanol the 2‐ethoxy‐2H‐thiopyran 3 is formed. Nitromethane and ethyl cyanoacetate react with 2a in the presence of triethylamine to give 2,4,6‐triphenylbenzene (6) and 2,4,6‐triphenylbenzonitrile (7), respectively. Electrophiles (e. g. mineral acids or acyl halides) regenerate from 2a the starting thiopyrylium system; the same principle underlies the formation of 2,4,6‐triphenylthiopyrylium perchlorate (1a) and 2‐methoxy‐3‐methyl‐2,4,6‐triphenyl‐2H‐pyran (5) from 2a and 3‐methyl‐2,4,6‐triphenylpyrylium perchlorate (4).