The degradation of 4,5-dichloro-1,2,3-dithiazolium chloride in wet solvents

4,5-Dichloro-1,2,3-dithiazolium chloride 1 (Appel salt) reacts in wet DCM, THF or MeCN to give elemental sulfur, dithiazole-5-thione 4, dithiazol-5-one 5 and thiazol-5-one 6. Furthermore the reaction of 2-phenylthiazol-5(4H)-one 12 with Appel salt 1 at ca. 20 °C gives 4-(4-chloro-5H-1,2,3-dithiazol-5-ylidene)-2-phenylthiazol-5(4H)-one 13 (26%) while at ca. 82 °C a new product 2,2′-diphenyl-4,4′-bithiazol-ylidene-5,5′-dione 14 (36%) is additionally isolated. Finally, 4,4′-bithiazolylidene-5,5′-dione 14 is prepared directly by treating 2-phenylthiazol-5(4H)-one 12 with N-chlorosuccinimide. All new compounds are fully characterised and rational mechanisms are proposed for the formation of all key compounds.