PRODUCTION OF S-SUBSTITUTED ISOTHIOUREAS

摘要

In the production of an S-substituted isothiourea including the functional group in which R1 is an alkyl, alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl radical, wherein a thiourea including the functional group is reacted with an etherifying agent to replace H by R1, the improvement which comprises effecting the reaction in two steps, in the first step reacting the thiourea material with an etherifying agent including the radical R in which R is an alkyl, alkenyl aryl or aralkyl radical different from R1 thereby to produce the ether and in the second step reacting the ether with a compound of the formula R1SH. The process is particularly applicable to the production of the known herbicide from the corresponding thiourea where in the first step methyl bromide or methyl iodide is used to form the S-methyl isothiourea which is then interchanged with ethyl mercaptan. Higher overall yields and/or economies are thereby achieved.