A Cu(II) mediated new desulfurization pathway involving elimination of ethylene sulfide.

Reaction of thiodiacetate anion (tda) with [Cu(TMEDA)(NO3)2] (TMEDA = N,N,N'N'-tetramethyl ethylene-diamine) in a stoichiometric ratio afforded the complex {[Cu(TMEDA)(tda)]·(H2TMEDA)(NO3)2·H2O} (1). When [Cu(TMEDA)(NO3)2] was added in excess, it yielded a μ-oxalato complex {[Cu2(TMEDA)2(μ-ox)(H2O)2](NO3)2·2CH3CN} (2). The reaction involves a facile room temperature desulfurization of the thiodiacetate moiety via elimination of ethylene sulfide (thiirane).