Preparation of dithiacycloalkynes by cyclization reactions applying the cesium effect

The strained dithiacycloalkynes 3a,b and the larger heterocyclic alkynes 3c and 4 are obtained by cesium assisted cyclization reactions of the dithiols 1a–c and 1,4-dibromo-2-butyne (2). The reactivity of 3a–c was studied in cycloaddition and complexation reactions generating the adducts 5a,b and 6 and the silver and cobalt complexes 7 and 8.