Substituent effects on the reactivity of benzo-1,2-dithiolan-3-one 1-oxides and their possible application to the synthesis of DNA-targeting drugs.

The efficiency of polysulfane product generation has been investigated for n-propyl thiol reactions with ortho- and para-substituted benzo-1,2-dithiolan-3-one 1-oxides in acetonitrile-water (7:3) mixtures. The reaction is facilitated by reducing the electron density at the para position or by placing substituents bearing lone pair electrons ortho to the dithiolanone-oxide (S1) reaction center. Through-space and through-bond effects both contribute to the conversion of polysulfane products.