Thioureas

Last updated
General chemical structure of thioureas Thiourea functional group.svg
General chemical structure of thioureas

In organic chemistry, thioureas are members of a family of organosulfur compounds with the formula S=C(NR2)2 and structure R2N−C(=S)−NR2. The parent member of this class of compounds is thiourea (S=C(NH2)2). Substituted thioureas are found in several commercial chemicals.

Contents

Structure and bonding

Thioureas have a trigonal planar molecular geometry of the N2C=S core. The C=S bond distance is near 1.71  Å, which is 0.1 Å longer than in normal ketones (R2C=O). The C–N bond distances are short. [1] Thioureas occurs in two tautomeric forms. For the parent thiourea, the thione form predominates in aqueous solutions. [2] The thiol form, known as an isothiourea, can be encountered in substituted compounds such as isothiouronium salts.

Thiourea tautomers (cropped).png

On the other hand, some compounds depicted as isothioureas and in fact thioureas, one example being mercaptobenzimidazole. [3]

Synthesis

N,N′-unsubstituted thioureas can be prepared by treating the corresponding cyanamide with hydrogen sulfide or similar sulfide sources. [4] Organic ammonium salts react with potassium thiocyanate as the source of the thiocarbonyl (C=S). [5]

Alternatively, N,N′-disubstituted thioureas can be prepared by coupling two amines with thiophosgene: [6]

HNR2 + S=CCl2 → 2 S=C(NR2)2 + 2 HCl

Amines also condense with organic thiocyanates to give thioureas: [7]

HNR2 + S=C=NR' → S=C(NR2)(NHR')

Cyclic thioureas are prepared by transamidation of thiourea with diamines. Ethylene thiourea is synthesized by treating ethylenediamine with carbon disulfide. [8] In some cases, thioureas can be prepared by thiation of ureas using phosphorus pentasulfide.

Ethylene thiourea is an accelerant of vulcanization of neoprene and polychloroprene rubbers. Ethylenethiourea.png
Ethylene thiourea is an accelerant of vulcanization of neoprene and polychloroprene rubbers.

Applications

Agrichemicals that feature the thiourea functional group include methimazole, carbimazole (converted in vivo to methimazole), and propylthiouracil.

Catalysis

Some thioureas are vulcanization accelerators. Thioureas are also used in a research theme called thiourea organocatalysis. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amide</span> Organic compounds of the form RC(=O)NR′R″

In organic chemistry, an amide, also known as an organic amide or a carboxamide, is a compound with the general formula R−C(=O)−NR′R″, where R, R', and R″ represent any group, typically organyl groups or hydrogen atoms. The amide group is called a peptide bond when it is part of the main chain of a protein, and an isopeptide bond when it occurs in a side chain, such as in the amino acids asparagine and glutamine. It can be viewed as a derivative of a carboxylic acid with the hydroxyl group replaced by an amine group ; or, equivalently, an acyl (alkanoyl) group joined to an amine group.

In chemistry, a zwitterion, also called an inner salt or dipolar ion, is a molecule that contains an equal number of positively and negatively charged functional groups. With amino acids, for example, in solution a chemical equilibrium will be established between the "parent" molecule and the zwitterion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thiol</span> Any organic compound having a sulfanyl group (–SH)

In organic chemistry, a thiol, or thiol derivative, is any organosulfur compound of the form R−SH, where R represents an alkyl or other organic substituent. The −SH functional group itself is referred to as either a thiol group or a sulfhydryl group, or a sulfanyl group. Thiols are the sulfur analogue of alcohols, and the word is a blend of "thio-" with "alcohol".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydrazone</span> Organic compounds - Hydrazones

Hydrazones are a class of organic compounds with the structure R1R2C=N−NH2. They are related to ketones and aldehydes by the replacement of the oxygen =O with the =N−NH2 functional group. They are formed usually by the action of hydrazine on ketones or aldehydes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imide</span> Class of chemical compounds

In organic chemistry, an imide is a functional group consisting of two acyl groups bound to nitrogen. The compounds are structurally related to acid anhydrides, although imides are more resistant to hydrolysis. In terms of commercial applications, imides are best known as components of high-strength polymers, called polyimides. Inorganic imides are also known as solid state or gaseous compounds, and the imido group (=NH) can also act as a ligand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thiourea</span> Organosulfur compound (S=C(NH2)2)

Thiourea is an organosulfur compound with the formula SC(NH2)2 and the structure H2N−C(=S)−NH2. It is structurally similar to urea, except that the oxygen atom is replaced by a sulfur atom ; however, the properties of urea and thiourea differ significantly. Thiourea is a reagent in organic synthesis. Thioureas are a broad class of compounds with the general structure R2N−C(=S)−NR2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyanamide</span> Chemical compound featuring a nitrile group attached to an amino group

Cyanamide is an organic compound with the formula CN2H2. This white solid is widely used in agriculture and the production of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds. It is also used as an alcohol-deterrent drug. The molecule features a nitrile group attached to an amino group. Derivatives of this compound are also referred to as cyanamides, the most common being calcium cyanamide (CaCN2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episulfide</span> Organic compounds with a saturated carbon-carbon-sulfur ring

In organic chemistry, episulfides are a class of organic compounds that contain a saturated, heterocyclic ring consisting of two carbon atoms and one sulfur atom. It is the sulfur analogue of an epoxide or aziridine. They are also known as thiiranes, olefin sulfides, thioalkylene oxides, and thiacyclopropanes. Episulfides are less common and generally less stable than epoxides. The most common derivative is ethylene sulfide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodium thiocyanate</span> Chemical compound

Sodium thiocyanate (sometimes called sodium sulphocyanide) is the chemical compound with the formula NaSCN. This colorless deliquescent salt is one of the main sources of the thiocyanate anion. As such, it is used as a precursor for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and other specialty chemicals. Thiocyanate salts are typically prepared by the reaction of cyanide with elemental sulfur:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zeise's salt</span> Chemical compound

Zeise's salt, potassium trichloro(ethylene)platinate(II) hydrate, is the chemical compound with the formula K[PtCl3(C2H4)]·H2O. The anion of this air-stable, yellow, coordination complex contains an η2-ethylene ligand. The anion features a platinum atom with a square planar geometry. The salt is of historical importance in the area of organometallic chemistry as one of the first examples of a transition metal alkene complex and is named for its discoverer, William Christopher Zeise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thiocarbamate</span> Organosulfur compounds of the forms ROC(S)NR2 or RSC(O)NR2

In organic chemistry, thiocarbamates (thiourethanes) are a family of organosulfur compounds. As the prefix thio- suggests, they are sulfur analogues of carbamates. There are two isomeric forms of thiocarbamates: O-thiocarbamates, ROC(=S)NR2 (esters), and S-thiocarbamates, RSC(=O)NR2 (thioesters).

Within the area of organocatalysis, (thio)urea organocatalysis describes the use of ureas and thioureas to accelerate and stereochemically alter organic transformations. The effects arise through hydrogen-bonding interactions between the substrate and the (thio)urea. Unlike classical catalysts, these organocatalysts interact by non-covalent interactions, especially hydrogen bonding. The scope of these small-molecule H-bond donors termed (thio)urea organocatalysis covers both non-stereoselective and stereoselective applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squaramide</span> Chemical compound

Squaramide is the organic compound with the formula O2C4(NH2)2. Not an amide in the usual sense, it is a derivative of squaric acid wherein the two OH groups are replaced by NH2 groups. Squaramides refer to a large class of derivatives wherein some of the H's are replaced by organic substituents. Exploiting their rigid planar structures, these compounds are of interest as hydrogen-bond donors in supramolecular chemistry and organocatalysis. Squaramides exhibit 10-50x greater affinity for halides than do thioureas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metal amides</span>

Metal amides (systematic name metal azanides) are a class of coordination compounds composed of a metal center with amide ligands of the form NR2. Amido complexes of the parent amido ligand NH2 are rare compared to complexes with diorganylamido ligand, such as dimethylamido. Amide ligands have two electron pairs available for bonding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thiourea dioxide</span> Chemical compound

Thiourea dioxide or thiox is an organosulfur compound that is used in the textile industry. It functions as a reducing agent. It is a white solid, and exhibits tautomerism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulfenamide</span> Molecules of the form >N–S–

In organosulfur chemistry, sulfenamides are a class of organosulfur compounds characterized by the general formula R−S−N(−R)2, where the R groups are hydrogen, alkyl, or aryl. Sulfenamides have been used extensively in the vulcanization of rubber using sulfur. They are related to the oxidized compounds known as sulfinamides and sulfonamides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isothiouronium</span>

In organic chemistry, isothiouronium is a functional group with the formula [RSC(NH2)2]+ (R = alkyl, aryl) and is the acid salt of isothiourea. The H centres can also be replaced by alkyl and aryl. Structurally, these cations resemble guanidinium cations. The CN2S core is planar and the C–N bonds are short.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dithiobiuret</span> Chemical compound

Dithiobiuret is an organosulfur compound with the formula HN(C(S)NH2)2. It is a colourless solid that is soluble in warm water and polar organic solvents. It is a planar molecule with short C-S and C-N distances (1.69, 1.38 Å, resp.) indicative of multiple C-S and C-N bonding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulfonamide</span> Organosulfur compounds containing –S(=O)2–N< functional group

In organic chemistry, the sulfonamide functional group is an organosulfur group with the structure R−S(=O)2−NR2. It consists of a sulfonyl group connected to an amine group. Relatively speaking this group is unreactive. Because of the rigidity of the functional group, sulfonamides are typically crystalline; for this reason, the formation of a sulfonamide is a classic method to convert an amine into a crystalline derivative which can be identified by its melting point. Many important drugs contain the sulfonamide group.

In organophosphorus chemistry, an aminophosphine is a compound with the formula R3−nP(NR2)n where R = H or an organic substituent, and n = 0, 1, 2. At one extreme, the parent H2PNH2 is lightly studied and fragile, but at the other extreme tris(dimethylamino)phosphine (P(NMe2)3) is commonly available. Intermediate members are known, such as Ph2PN(H)Ph. These compounds are typically colorless and reactive toward oxygen. They have pyramidal geometry at phosphorus.

References

  1. D. Mullen; E. Hellner (1978). "A Simple Refinement of Density Distributions of Bonding Electrons. IX. Bond Electron Density Distribution in Thiourea, C=S(NH2)2, at 123K". Acta Crystallogr. B34 (9): 2789–2794. doi: 10.1107/S0567740878009243 .
  2. Allegretti, P.E; Castro, E.A; Furlong, J.J.P (March 2000). "Tautomeric equilibrium of amides and related compounds: theoretical and spectral evidences". Journal of Molecular Structure: THEOCHEM. 499 (1–3): 121–126. doi:10.1016/S0166-1280(99)00294-8.
  3. Form, G. R.; Raper, E. S.; Downie, T. C. (1976). "The crystal and molecular structure of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole". Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry. 32 (2): 345–348. doi:10.1107/S0567740876003026.
  4. Koketsu, Mamoru; Kobayashi, Chikashi; Ishihara, Hideharu (2003). "Synthesis of N-aryl-S-alkylthiocarbamates". Heteroatom Chemistry. 14 (4): 374–378. doi:10.1002/hc.10163.
  5. Herr, R. J.; Kuhler, L.; Meckler, H.; Opalka, C. J. (2000). "A Convenient Method for the Preparation of Primary and Symmetrical N,N′-Disubstituted Thioureas". Synthesis. 2000 (11): 1569–1574. doi:10.1055/s-2000-7607.
  6. Yi-Bo Huang; Wen-Bin Yi; Chun Cai (2012). "Thiourea Based Fluorous Organocatalyst". Topics in Current Chemistry. 308: 191–212. doi:10.1007/128_2011_248. ISBN   978-3-642-25233-4. PMID   21972024.
  7. Miyabe, H.; Takemoto, Y. (2008). "Discovery and Application of Asymmetric Reaction by Multifunctional Thioureas". Bull Chem Soc Jpn. 81 (7): 785. doi: 10.1246/bcsj.81.785 .
  8. C. F. H. Allen; C. O. Edens; James VanAllan. "Ethylene Thiourea". Org. Syntheses. 26: 34. doi:10.15227/orgsyn.026.0034.
  9. R. Schreiner, Peter (2003). "Metal-free organocatalysis through explicit hydrogen bonding interactions". Chem. Soc. Rev. 32 (5): 289–296. doi:10.1039/b107298f. PMID   14518182.

Further reading