Thio metallates are known for many years for their utility in many processes. They have been established as versatile reagents in organic synthesis. However the heavier metal chalcogenides, though known for many years, have been ignored for a long time. In this thesis the results of the development of tetraethylammonium tetraselenotungstate [EttN]2Wse4 1 as a new class of selenium transfer reagent have been described. The thesis also deals with the chemistry of benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate, [BnEt3N]2MoS4,2 in the synthesis of diselenides and thio esters. The thesis entitled "Chemistry of Thio and Seleno Metallates in Organic Synthesis" is divided into four Chapters. Chapter 1 In this chapter a detailed studies of alkylation of tetraethylammonium tetraselenotungstate (EuN)2WSe4,1 with a variety of alkyl halides, benzylic halides and acyl halides to yield the corresponding diselenides in excellent yields are described. (structural Formula) Scheme 1 Various carbohydrate-derived diselenides were also prepared by treating the sugar bromides with tetraethylammonium tetraselenotungstate 1 (Scheme 2). An attempt was made to synthesize seleno lactones from co- bromo acyl halides. This reaction mainly furnished the corresponding diacyl diselenides (Scheme 3). The reaction of 1 with aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborates led to the formation of corresponding diselenides or mono selenides depending on the substitution on the aromatic ring (Scheme 4). (structural formula) Scheme 2 (structural formula) Scheme 3 (structural formula) Scheme 4 Chapter 2 In this chapter a general methodology for the formation of the diselenide bond has been extended to the synthesis of a number of redox- switched crown ethers of various ring size using the reagents tetraethylammonium tetraselenotungstate (Et4N)2WSe4 t 1 and benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate, [BnEt3NJ2MoS4,2 (Scheme 5). (structural formula) Scheme 5 The association constants for the binding of silver and potassium ions with the diselena crown ethers were determined. This methodology is very useful for obtaining selenacrown ethers under very mild conditions and also without using high dilution conditions. Chapter 3 In this chapter a general methodology for the facile conversion of amides and lactams to the corresponding seleno amides and selenolactams is described. A number of amides and lactams were converted into their selenocarbonyl derivatives in excellent yield via the formation of Vilsmeier intermediates followed by treatment with tetraethylammonium tetraselenotungstate (EuN^WSe4,1 (Scheme .6). (structural formula( Scheme 6 Chapter 4 In this chapter, a general method for the synthesis of thioesters is described. The reaction of p- nitrophenyl esters and disulfides with benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate (PhCH2NEt3)2MoS4,2 furnished the corresponding thio esters in good yield (Scheme (7). The intramolecular version of this reaction furnished dimeric thiolactones as the major product (Scheme 8) (structural formula) Scheme 7 (structural formula) Scheme 8 (for structural formula pl see the original document)

Este trabalho apresenta: 1) Duas revisões bibliográficas sendo uma sobre a síntese de α-ceto-tioésteres e -ésteres e a outra sobre a decomposição de sulfóxidos e sulfonas sulfeniladas; 2) Investigações prévias indicando a viabilidade da decomposição térmica e a estabilidade relativa dos derivados bissulfenilados de tioésteres de diferentes estados de oxidação Ia-e, obtidos a partir do α-ceto-tioéster; 3) O estudo de síntese de precursores de α-ceto-tioésteres II e α-ceto-ésteres III, a saber: α - metilsulfonil- α - metiltio tioésteres IVa-c, -éster V e α, α - dimetiltio - ésteres VIa-c; 4) Decomposição térmica de α-metilsulfonil-α-metiltio-tioésteres Iva, b e c e -éster V sintetizados aos α-ceto-tioésteres e ésteres correspondentes, pelo emprego do método elaborado anteriormente por Wladislaw e col. e sugestão do mecanismo da mesma. A síntese de α metilsulfonil α metiltio tiopropionato de etila (Ivb), foi efetuada a partir do ácido α-cloro propiônico através de quatro passos reacionais, a saber: sulfenilação por substituição, oxidação à sulfona , tioesterificação e sulfenilação pelo emprego de NaH/MeS02SMe em DMSO. A obtenção do α - benzil - α - metilsulfonil - α - metiltio - tioacetato de etila (Ivc) foi efetuada a partir de ácido α-cloro acético através de reações de sulfenilação por substituição oxidação à sulfona tioesterificação alquilação com brometo de benzila e NaH em DMSO e, finalmente, a sulfenilação que só foi possível com o emprego de N-metiltioftalimida. A síntese de α-metilsulfonil-α-metiltio-propionato de etila (V) foi efetuada a partir do α-metilsulfonil malonato VIIa pelo eemprego do método de descarbetoxilação sulfenilativa usando 1,4 diazabiciclo [2,2,2] octano (DABCO) em tolueno sob refluxo e MeSO2SMe. Os compostos VIIa,b e c foram preparados a partir dos malonatos de dietila alquil - substituidos, seguido de sulfenilação e oxidação à sulfona. É de interesse a inédita reação de α - metilsulfonil fenilmalonato de dietila (VIIb), com DABCO em benzeno sob refluxo e MeSO2SMe, que conduziu à dessulfonilação sulfenilativa fornecendo o α - metiltio - fenilmalonato de dietila. É apresentada uma discussão mecanística tanto sobre descarbetoxilação, como sobre dessulfonilação sulfenilativas. A síntese de α,α-dimetiltio-ésteres VIa-c foi efetuada pela reação de sulfenilação com descarboxilação dos mono-ácidos malônicos correspondentes. O acompanhamento da descarboxilação e experimentos de deuteração permitiram esclarecer a sequência dos passos reacionais nestas novas reações. Cabe ressaltar que são compostos ainda não descritos na literatura os precursores IVa, IVb, IVc, V e Vib e 11 intermediários envolvidos nas reações efetuadas. Os resultados apresentados neste trabalho, além de importância sintética, trazem uma contribuição para a Química de Compostos Orgânicos de Enxofre. / This work presents: 1) Two literature reviews, one about the synthesis of α-keto thioesters and esters and the other on the decomposition of sulfenylated sulfoxides and sulfones; 2) Previous investigations indicating the viability of thermal decomposition and the relative stability of the dithioderivatives of different oxidation states Ia-e,which were obtained from the α-keto thioester; 3) The study of synthesis of α-keto thioesters II and esters III precursors, which are the following: α-methylsulfonyl-α-methylthio-thioesters IVa-c and -ester V, and α, α - dimethylthio esters VIa-c; 4) Thermal decomposition of the synthesized α - methylsulfonyl- α -methylthio- thioesters Iva,b e c and ester V, to the corresponding α-keto thioesters and α-keto ester, through the method developed by Wladislaw et al., with the suggestion of the mechanism. α-Methylsulfonyl-α-methylthio ethyl thiopropionate (Ivb) was synthesized from α-chloro-propionic acid in four steps: sulfenylative substitution, oxidation to sulfone, thioesterification and sulfenylation using NaH/MeSO2SMe in DMSO. α-Benzyl-α-methylsulfonyl-α-methylthio ethyl thioacetate (,i>Ivc) was obtained from α-chloro acetic acid through the following steps: sulfenylative substitution, oxidation to sulfone, thioesterification, alkylation with benzylbromide and NaH in DMSO, and finally, the sulfenylation which was successful only with the use of N-methylthiophtalimide. α-Methylsulfonyl-α-methylthio ethyl propionate (V) was synthesized through the sulfenylative decarbethoxylation of α methylsulfonyl diethyl malonate VIIa employing DABCO (1,4-diazabicyclo [2.2.2.]octane), in refluxing toluene, and MeSO2Sme. The compounds VIIa,b e c were obtained by the alkylation of malonates, followed by sulfenylation and oxidation to sulfones. An interesting and novel reaction, the sulfenylative desulfonylation, was observed when α-methylsulfonyl phenyldiethyl malonate (VIIb) was treated with DABCO, in refluxing benzene and MeSO2SMe, which led to the α-methylthio diethyl malonate. A mechanistic discussion about the sulfenylative decarbethoxylation and sulfenylative desulfonylation is presented. α, α-dimethylthio esters VIa-c were synthesized by sulfenylation and decarboxylation of the corresponding malonic half-esters. The sequence of the steps of this new reaction could be determined by deuteration experiments and by following the evolution of CO2. The precursors IV, IVb, IVc, V e Vib and 11 intermediates were unknown compounds. This work, besides the synthetical importance, presents some contribution to the Organosulfur Chemistry.

Este trabalho apresenta: 1) Duas revisões bibliográficas sendo uma sobre a síntese de α-ceto-tioésteres e -ésteres e a outra sobre a decomposição de sulfóxidos e sulfonas sulfeniladas; 2) Investigações prévias indicando a viabilidade da decomposição térmica e a estabilidade relativa dos derivados bissulfenilados de tioésteres de diferentes estados de oxidação Ia-e, obtidos a partir do α-ceto-tioéster; 3) O estudo de síntese de precursores de α-ceto-tioésteres II e α-ceto-ésteres III, a saber: α - metilsulfonil- α - metiltio tioésteres IVa-c, -éster V e α, α - dimetiltio - ésteres VIa-c; 4) Decomposição térmica de α-metilsulfonil-α-metiltio-tioésteres Iva, b e c e -éster V sintetizados aos α-ceto-tioésteres e ésteres correspondentes, pelo emprego do método elaborado anteriormente por Wladislaw e col. e sugestão do mecanismo da mesma. A síntese de α metilsulfonil α metiltio tiopropionato de etila (Ivb), foi efetuada a partir do ácido α-cloro propiônico através de quatro passos reacionais, a saber: sulfenilação por substituição, oxidação à sulfona , tioesterificação e sulfenilação pelo emprego de NaH/MeS02SMe em DMSO. A obtenção do α - benzil - α - metilsulfonil - α - metiltio - tioacetato de etila (Ivc) foi efetuada a partir de ácido α-cloro acético através de reações de sulfenilação por substituição oxidação à sulfona tioesterificação alquilação com brometo de benzila e NaH em DMSO e, finalmente, a sulfenilação que só foi possível com o emprego de N-metiltioftalimida. A síntese de α-metilsulfonil-α-metiltio-propionato de etila (V) foi efetuada a partir do α-metilsulfonil malonato VIIa pelo eemprego do método de descarbetoxilação sulfenilativa usando 1,4 diazabiciclo [2,2,2] octano (DABCO) em tolueno sob refluxo e MeSO2SMe. Os compostos VIIa,b e c foram preparados a partir dos malonatos de dietila alquil - substituidos, seguido de sulfenilação e oxidação à sulfona. É de interesse a inédita reação de α - metilsulfonil fenilmalonato de dietila (VIIb), com DABCO em benzeno sob refluxo e MeSO2SMe, que conduziu à dessulfonilação sulfenilativa fornecendo o α - metiltio - fenilmalonato de dietila. É apresentada uma discussão mecanística tanto sobre descarbetoxilação, como sobre dessulfonilação sulfenilativas. A síntese de α,α-dimetiltio-ésteres VIa-c foi efetuada pela reação de sulfenilação com descarboxilação dos mono-ácidos malônicos correspondentes. O acompanhamento da descarboxilação e experimentos de deuteração permitiram esclarecer a sequência dos passos reacionais nestas novas reações. Cabe ressaltar que são compostos ainda não descritos na literatura os precursores IVa, IVb, IVc, V e Vib e 11 intermediários envolvidos nas reações efetuadas. Os resultados apresentados neste trabalho, além de importância sintética, trazem uma contribuição para a Química de Compostos Orgânicos de Enxofre. / This work presents: 1) Two literature reviews, one about the synthesis of α-keto thioesters and esters and the other on the decomposition of sulfenylated sulfoxides and sulfones; 2) Previous investigations indicating the viability of thermal decomposition and the relative stability of the dithioderivatives of different oxidation states Ia-e,which were obtained from the α-keto thioester; 3) The study of synthesis of α-keto thioesters II and esters III precursors, which are the following: α-methylsulfonyl-α-methylthio-thioesters IVa-c and -ester V, and α, α - dimethylthio esters VIa-c; 4) Thermal decomposition of the synthesized α - methylsulfonyl- α -methylthio- thioesters Iva,b e c and ester V, to the corresponding α-keto thioesters and α-keto ester, through the method developed by Wladislaw et al., with the suggestion of the mechanism. α-Methylsulfonyl-α-methylthio ethyl thiopropionate (Ivb) was synthesized from α-chloro-propionic acid in four steps: sulfenylative substitution, oxidation to sulfone, thioesterification and sulfenylation using NaH/MeSO2SMe in DMSO. α-Benzyl-α-methylsulfonyl-α-methylthio ethyl thioacetate (,i>Ivc) was obtained from α-chloro acetic acid through the following steps: sulfenylative substitution, oxidation to sulfone, thioesterification, alkylation with benzylbromide and NaH in DMSO, and finally, the sulfenylation which was successful only with the use of N-methylthiophtalimide. α-Methylsulfonyl-α-methylthio ethyl propionate (V) was synthesized through the sulfenylative decarbethoxylation of α methylsulfonyl diethyl malonate VIIa employing DABCO (1,4-diazabicyclo [2.2.2.]octane), in refluxing toluene, and MeSO2Sme. The compounds VIIa,b e c were obtained by the alkylation of malonates, followed by sulfenylation and oxidation to sulfones. An interesting and novel reaction, the sulfenylative desulfonylation, was observed when α-methylsulfonyl phenyldiethyl malonate (VIIb) was treated with DABCO, in refluxing benzene and MeSO2SMe, which led to the α-methylthio diethyl malonate. A mechanistic discussion about the sulfenylative decarbethoxylation and sulfenylative desulfonylation is presented. α, α-dimethylthio esters VIa-c were synthesized by sulfenylation and decarboxylation of the corresponding malonic half-esters. The sequence of the steps of this new reaction could be determined by deuteration experiments and by following the evolution of CO2. The precursors IV, IVb, IVc, V e Vib and 11 intermediates were unknown compounds. This work, besides the synthetical importance, presents some contribution to the Organosulfur Chemistry.