Reactions of 2-sulfanylethanol with mucochloric acid and its derivatives

Mucochloric acid reacted with 2-sulfanylethanol in the presence of triethylamine to give 3-chloro-5-hydroxy-4-(2-hydroxyethylsulfanyl)furan-2(5H)-one which underwent acid-catalyzed cyclization to 7-chloro-2,3,4a,6-tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b][1,4]oxathiin-6-one. Likewise, reactions of 5-alkoxy-3,4-dichlorofuran-2(5H)-ones with 2-sulfanylethanol in the presence of triethylamine involved replacement of chlorine in position 4 of the furan ring with formation of the corresponding 4-(2-hydroxyethylsulfanyl) derivatives. The reaction of mucochloric acid with 2-sulfanylethanol in excess aqueous potassium hydroxide resulted in the formation of an acyclic product, 3-(2-hydroxyethylsulfanyl)-2-chloroprop-2-enoic acid. The structure of 7-chloro-2,3,4a,6-tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b][1,4]oxathiin-6-one and 3-(2-hydroxyethylsulfanyl)-2-chloroprop-2-enoic acid was proved by X-ray analysis.