Addition of CH,N, to 2,3: 5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-l-thio-mannono-l,4-lactone (1) gave the 2,5-dihydro-1,3,4-thiadiazole 2 and the 4,S-dihydro-1,2,3-thiadiazole 3. First-order kinetics were observed for the thermolysis of 3 (Scheme2) at XO-110" in C,D,CI solution and of 2 (Scheme3) at 20-35" in CDCI,, respectively. The 1,2,3-thiadiazole 3 led to mixtures of the thiirane 9, the starting thionolac1.one 1, the thiono-1,s-lactone 8, and the enol ether 7, while the isomeric 1,3,4-thiadiazole 2 led to mixtures of the anomeric thiiraiies 9 and 12. the 0-hydrogen S,O,O-ortholactone ci-0-14, the S-methyl thioester 15, the S,:S,O-ortholactone 13, and the 2 3 : 5,G-di-0-isopropylidene-mannono-I ,4-lactone (16). Pure products of the thermolysis were isolated by semipreparative supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), whereas preparative HPLC led to partial or complete decomposition. Thus, the /h-mannofuranosyl b-o-mannofuranoside 10, contaminated by an unknown S species, was isolated by preparative HPLC of the crude product of thermolysis of 3 at 115-120" and partially transformed in CD,OD solution into the symmetric di(a-o-mannofuranosyl) tetrasulfide 11. Its structure was evidenced by X-ray analysis. Similarly, HPLC of the thermolysis product of 2 gave the enethiol 17, the sulfide 19, and the mercapto alcohol 18 as secondary products. Thermolysis of the thiirane 9 at 110-120" (Scheme 4) led to the anomeric thiirane 12 which was transformed into mixtures of the enethiol 17 and the enol ether 7. Addition of H,O to 17 and 7 gave the corresponding heniiacetals 18 and 20. The mechanism of the thermo1,ysis of the dihydrothiadiazoles 2 and 3, and the thiiranes 9 and 12 is discussed.