Domino carbocationic rearrangements of α-[bis(methylthio)methylene]alkyl-2-(heteroaryl)cyclopropyl ketones

Domino carbocationic rearrangements of α-[bis(methylthio)methylene]alkyl-2-(heteroaryl)cyclopropyl ketones (X=O, S, NMe) bearing five-membered heteroaryl group have been investigated. Although the cyclopropyl ketones (R1=H) gave similar products like their aryl counterparts under these conditions, the corresponding α-methylcyclopropyl ketones (R1=Me) yielded a variety of unexpected products depending on the nature of heteroaryl group in the substrate cyclopropyl ketones and the type of acid catalyst used. A probable mechanism for the formation of various products in these transformations has been proposed.