title: A general method for the synthesis of alkylenedithio- and bis(alkylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalenes.
abstract: A general synthetic method toward a series of alkylenedithio- and bis(alkylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalenes, i.e., methylenedithio- (MDT-TSF, 1a), ethylenedithio- (EDT-TSF, 1b), propylenedithio- (PDT-TSF, 1c), bis(methylenedithio)- (BMDT-TSF, 2a), bis(ethylenedithio)- (BETS, 2b), and bis(propylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene (BPDT-TSF, 2c), as superior electron donors for organic conductors has been developed. This method is advantageous to ready access to a series of compounds from common synthetic intermediates, 2-methylthio-3-(2-methoxycarbonylethylthio)-tetraselenafulvalene (6) and 2,6(7')-bis(methylthio)-3,7(6')-bis(2-methoxycarbonylethylthio)tetraselenafulvalene (7), for the asymmetrical alkylenedithio- and symmetrical bis(alkylenedithio)-TSFs, respectively. These key intermediates are readily prepared by phosphite-promoted coupling reactions of 4-methylthio-5-(2-methoxycarbonylethylthio)-1,3-selenole-2-selone (5) or by a reaction of TSF with LDA and methyl 3-thiocyanatopropionate. The latter method provides not only the successful conversion of TSF to these heterocycle derivatives but also a generally acceptable route to them, since TSF is accessible without the toxic and less easily available CSe(2).
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama 1-4-1, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8527, Japan. ktakimi@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takimiya
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Niihara
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aso
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsubo