A. K. Mehrotra

High Yield Medium Ring Synthesis of Thiacycloalkanes

Abstract Successful synthesis of medium-sized rings via cyclization normally requires high dilution conditions2. In this comunication, we wish to report remarkably high yield syntheses of some thiacycloalkanes based on the reaction of sodium sulfide witha, a-di bromoal kanes under concentrated and heterogeneous condi tions.

Alumina-Assisted Basic Hydrolysis of Esters1

Abstract “Anhydrous hydroxide” formed by reaction of 2 equiv of potassium tert-butoxide with 1 equiv of water in dry ether serves as a useful reagent for hydrolyzing esters and tertiary amides at ambient temperatures.2 During the course of our studies dealing with alumina as a support and as a catalyst for solid-liquid biphase reactions, we have discovered that potassium hydroxide crushed together with neutral alumina (reagent 1) provides the basis for an equally effective means for carrying out ester hydrolysis.3,4 Moreover, isolation of the alcohol is readily accomplished by simple filtration and solvent evaporation.