Bromine Complexes of Polyvinylpyrrolidone Supports: A Mild Reagent for the Transformation of α‐Oxoketene Dithioacetals to β‐Oxothiolesters

When α‐oxoketene dithioacetals 1a–n were treated with the bromine complex of a copolymer of 1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone and 4‐vinylpyridine, the corresponding thiolcarboxylates 2a–n were formed in excellent yields. The reaction also works with other 1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone‐derived polymers as well as commercially available polyvinylpyrrolidone–bromine complexes. The method is suitable for preparing aliphatic, aromatic, and γ,δ‐unsaturated β‐oxothiolcarboxylates.