Titanium(IV)-mediated synthesis of 2,3-diisothiocyanato-succinic acid diesters and 3,6-dithioxo-piperazine derivatives

Oxidative homocoupling of titanium(IV) enolates of 2-isothiocyanato-carboxylic esters resulted in the synthesis of 2,3-diisothiocyanato-succinic acid diesters. The reactions were carried out using DIPEA/TiCl4 oxidizing system and led to chiral dimers (instead of meso) as main products. Titanium(IV) enolates derived from hindered 2-isothiocyanato-carboxylates did not undergo the oxidative homocoupling but gave 3,6-dithioxo-piperazines.