We disclose a facile, direct, and regiospecific coupling of variously substituted vinyl ethers with dithiane to yield a variety of α-dithianyl aldehydes in good to excellent yields via a copper catalyzed radical process. The procedure is no need for pre-functionalization and is under mild conditions. Additionally, the direct dithioacetalization of vinyl ethers using an iron catalyst for the preparation of 2-substituted dithiane derivatives is also reported.

An alcohol-mediated dithioacetalization process that gains direct access to the corresponding Markovnikov-selective 1,3-dithianes using unactivated alkynes and nonthiolic/odorless 2-chloro-1,3-dithiane in a highly efficient manner has been developed. This methodology has the advantage of having mild reaction conditions, and the dithioacetalization process gives good to excellent yields with high Markovnikov-selectivity.

The highly regioselective and operationally straightforward [3 + 2] cyclizations of β-chlorovinyl dithianes with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds have been developed. This protocol provides direct access to highly functionalized cyclopentenes with perfect chemo- and regioselectivities under extremely mild reaction conditions. In particular, the unprecedented cyclization allows for the selective preparation of hydroxylated cyclopentenes.

The development of a new transition-metal-free tactic for convergent, one-pot synthesis of multisubstituted furans by β-chloro-vinyl dithiane cyclization with aldehydes is described. Key to the success was the development of a new vinylidene dithiane site as a donor allene that generates the active dihydrofuran, which undergoes in situ aromatization under mild conditions.

Dithianes are versatile umpolung intermediates in organic synthesis but have rarely been employed in radical cross-coupling reactions. Here we describe the oxidative coupling method for alkyne difunctionalization under metal-catalyst-free conditions. The efficient protocol directly affords a variety of β-ketodithianes in good to excellent yields with high regioselectivities. It provides a general pathway for accessing valuable dithianes with controlled formation of a new C–C bond and a C–O bond via a radical coupling pathway.

An alternative method to an iron-catalyzed radical oxidative cross-coupling reaction followed by 2-chloro-1,3-dithiane and aryl olefins for the synthesis of β-chloro substituent 1,3-dithiane products is presented. The described method has the advantage of mildness of the reaction conditions and tolerates a variety of functional groups. Preliminary mechanistic studies have confirmed the first example of a coupling of 1,3-dithiane with unactivated alkenes that proceeds via an iron-catalyzed oxidative radical intermediate along the reaction pathway.

An efficient metal-free Mizoroki–Heck type reaction of di- and tri-substituted alkenes with 2-chloro-dithiane has been developed under ambient pressure of air or using a relatively low loading of BF3·Et2O. This study represents a new environmentally friendly method for the syntheses of dithianyl-substituted alkene derivatives via a radical oxidative coupling process.

Present methods to synthesize 1,3-dithiane molecules require either harsh reaction conditions or highly specialized reagents. We have developed a catalytic dithioacetalization process that directly gains access to the corresponding 1,3-dithianes using aldehydes and 2-chloro-1,3-dithiane in a highly efficient manner. This methodology is beneficial due to mildness of the reaction conditions, and the dithioacetaliation process results in good to excellent yields by using 15 mol % of an iron catalyst.

An alcohol-mediated dithioacetalization process that gains direct access to the corresponding Markovnikov-selective 1,3-dithianes using unactivated alkynes and nonthiolic/odorless 2-chloro-1,3-dithiane in a highly efficient manner has been developed. This methodology has the advantage of having mild reaction conditions, and the dithioacetalization process gives good to excellent yields with high Markovnikov-selectivity.

An efficient metal-free Mizoroki–Heck type reaction of di- and tri-substituted alkenes with 2-chloro-dithiane has been developed under ambient pressure of air or using a relatively low loading of BF3·Et2O. This study represents a new environmentally friendly method for the syntheses of dithianyl-substituted alkene derivatives via a radical oxidative coupling process.