Chemical Properties
white to yellowish crystalline solid. Soluble in water, alcohol, tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl sulfoxide.
Application
Trimethylsulfonium Iodide is a sulfoxonium salt. It is used to Treatment with strong base yields the dimethylsulfonium methylide which reacts in-situ with the carbonyl group of ketones to form epoxides or allylic alcohols.
Uses
Trimethylsulfonium iodide is a salt that is usually dissolved in strong base in order to synthesize epoxides in-situ. Trimethylsulfonium iodide also has the potential to inhibit human placental diamine oxidase.
Preparation
Trimethylsulfoxonium iodide may be prepared by the reaction of dimethyl sulfoxide and iodomethane:
(CH3)2SO + CH3I → (CH3)3SO+I
After standing overnight, the resulting solid white cake is crushed and recrystallized from absolute ethanol to give pure trimethylsulfonium iodide.
Purification Methods
Crystallise the iodide from EtOH. [Emeleus & Heal J Chem Soc 1126 1946, Swain & Kaiser J Am Chem Soc 80 4089 1958, Borredon et al. J Org Chem 55 501 1990, Bouda et al. Synth Commun 17 503 1987.]
