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Abstract
The reaction of the arenethiols 4a-b with formaldehyde and the sec-amines 5a-c gave the aminomethyl aryl sulfides 6a-d. The reaction of the hemimercaptals 3a-b with 5a in methanol gave 6a-b in high yield. In acetonitrile reaction media, 6b was obtained by the reaction of 3b with 5a which suggested that 7b was not an intermediate in the formation of 6b in methanolic media. The absence of 7b in methanolic media suggests that the methylenesulfonium ion 8b is not an reaction intermediate. The formation of 7b was observed in the reaction of 3b with methanol when catalyzed by the Lewis acid tetrafluoroboric acid diethyl ether complex. The experimental observations are best explained by a mechanism whereby 3a-b are in rapid equilibrium with 4a-b under the basic reaction conditions. Rapid reaction of the liberated formaldehyde with 5a leads to the normal Mannich reaction pathway. Consistent with this mechanism, the reaction of a mixture of 3a-b and 12 with 5a gave both 6a-b and 13.