An-Najah Staff

α-Nitrothiocyanates R2C(SCN)NO2 have been prepared by oxidative addition of thiocyanate anion to nitronate anions and undergo SRN1 substitution reactions by loss of thiocyanate with nitronate anions, phenylsulfinate, azide and p-nitro- and p-chloro-benzenethiolates in dipolar aprotic solvents. 2-Nitro-2-thiocyanatopropane and other 2-substituted-2-nitropropanes [Me2C(X)NO2 with X = I, Br, Cl, NO2, PhSO2] react with thiolates by SRN1 reactions and/or redox reactions to give disulfides by a polar abstraction or chain SET (SET2) mechanisms. The products are dependent on the nucleophilicity of the thiolates, the polarisability of the α-substituent, the solvent and the presence of light catalysis, radical traps or strong electron acceptors. 2-Substituted-2-nitropropanes [Me2C(X)NO2 with X = N3, NO2, CN, p-NO2-C6H4-N=N] undergo SRN1 substitutions with thiolates by loss of nitrite. 2-Substituted-2-nitropropanes Me2C(X)NO2 and thiolates only yield disulfides in methanol due to solvation of the nitro groups.