The mixed diol–dithiol 2,2-bis(sulfanylmethyl)propane-1,3-diol: characterization of key intermediates on a new synthetic pathway

A new synthetic route to 2,2-bis(sulfanylmethyl)propane-1,3-diol, (II), is described starting from the commercially available 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol. The structures of two intermediates on this route are described. 5,5-Dimethenyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane bis(thiocyanate) (systematic name: {[5-(cyanosulfanyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxan-5-yl]sulfanyl}formonitrile), C10H14N2O2S2, (X), crystallizes in the space group P21/c with no symmetry relationship between the two thiocyanate groups. There is a short intramolecular NS contact for one thiocyanate group, while the second group is positioned such that this type of interaction is not possible. 1,3-(Hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diyl bis(thiocyanate), C7H10N2O2S2, (XI), also features a single short NS contact in the solid state. Hydrogen bonding between two molecules of compound (XI) results in the formation of dimers in the crystal, which are then linked together by a second hydrogen-bond interaction between the dimers. In addition, the structures of two intermediates from an unsuccessful alternative synthesis of (II) are reported. 2,2-Bis(chloromethyl)propane-1,3-diol, C5H10Cl2O2, (VI), crystallized as an inversion twin with a minor twin fraction of 0.43 (6). It forms a zigzag structure as a result of intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The structure of 9,9-dimethyl-2,4,8,10-tetraoxa-34-thiaspiro[5.5]undecan-3-one, C8H14O5S, (VII), shows evidence for a weak SO contact with a distance of 3.2529 (11) Å