The nature of sulfur bonding in thiopyrylium cation

Comparison of the PMR spectrum ofthiopyrylium cation with those of the oxygen (pyrylium cation) and nitrogen (pyridinium cation) analogs has suggested the unique electronic structure of the thiopyrylium cation. To investigate this structure the extended Hückel MO calculations have been carried out using two basis sets, one with and another without sulfur 3d orbitals. The electronic structure of thiopyrylium cation can be rationalized by the 3d orbital involvement of the S atom in the basis set. The primary effect of the involvement of 3d orbitals on the S atom is shown to be the electron transfer from the ring carbon fragment, in particular from the β ring carbons, to the S atom, with an accompanying increase in sulfur-α-carbon bond order.