Addition of the phenoxathiin cation radical to alkenes and nonconjugated dienes. Formation of (E)- and (Z)-(10-phenoxathiiniumyl)alkenes and (E)- and (Z)-(10-phenoxathiiniumyl)dienes on basic alumina.

Addition of phenoxathiin cation radical (PO*+) to acyclic alkenes in acetonitrile (MeCN) solution occurred stereospecifically to form bis(10-phenoxathiiniumyl)alkane adducts. Stereospecific trans addition is ascribed to the intermediacy of an episulfonium cation radical. The alkenes used were cis- and trans-2-butene, cis- and trans-2-pentene, cis- and trans-4-methyl-2-pentene, cis- and trans-4-octene, trans-3-hexene, trans-3-octene, trans-5-decene, cis-2-hexene, and cis-2-heptene. The erythro bisadducts (compounds 6) were obtained with trans-alkenes, while threo bisadducts (compounds 7) were obtained with cis-alkenes. The assigned structures of 6 and 7 were consistent with their NMR spectra and, in one case, 6c (the adduct of trans-4-methyl-2-pentene) was confirmed with X-ray crystallography. Additions of PO*+ to 1,4-hexa-, 1,5-hexa-, 1,6-hepta-, and 1,7-octadiene gave bis(10-phenoxathiiniumyl)alkenes (compounds 8), the assigned structures of which were consistent with their NMR spectra. Each of these adducts lost a proton and phenoxathiin (PO) when treated with basic alumina in MeCN solution. Compounds 6 (from trans-alkenes) gave mixtures of (Z)- (9) and (E)-(10-phenoxathiiniumyl)alkenes (10) in which the (Z)-isomers (9) were dominant. On the other hand, compounds 7 (from cis-alkenes) gave mixtures of 9 and 10 in which, with one exception (the adduct 7c of cis-4-methyl-2-pentene), compounds 10 were dominant. The path to elimination is discussed. The alkenes 9 and 10 were characterized with NMR spectroscopy and, in one case (9a), with X-ray crystallography. Reactions of 8b-d with basic alumina gave mixtures of (E)- (13) and (Z)-(10-phenoxathiiniumyl)dienes (14), in which compounds 13 were dominant. The configuration of the product from 8a (the adduct of 1,4-hexadiene) could not be settled. Noteworthy features in the coupling patterns and chemical shifts in the NMR spectra of some of the adducts and their products are discussed and related to adduct conformations.