The ultraviolet absorption spectra of 5-(substituted)ami~lo-1,2,3,4-thiatriazls and the corresponding ison~eric I-substituted-tetrazoline-5-thiones have been studied. The spectra and the dipole moments of the 5-(substituted)amino-1,2,3,4-thiatriazoles eliminate the possibility of meso-ionic structures for these compounds. The dipole moments of 5-amino-, 5-methylamino-, and 5-dimethylamino-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole were all high but approximately of the same value (5.77 to 5.84 D). This suggests that the amino thiatriazoles are best represented by conventional covalent structures with significant ionic resonance contributions. The thiatriazole ring system exhibits a characteristic absorption maximum a t 250-255 m r and an electron-withdrawing effect approximately equal to the tetrazolyl ring system. The tetrazolinethionolyl ring system is similarly electron-withdrawing. The relative acidities of the I-substituted-tetrazoline-5-thiones and the 5-alkylmercaptotetrazoles have also been studied and the results support the observations made on the basis of their ultraviolet absorption spectra.
INTRODUCTIONIn recent communications, Lieber and co-workers (1, 2) reported upon the formation and chemistry of 5-(substituted)amino-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole, I , and the corresponding isomeric 1-substituted-tetrazoline-5-thiones, I1 (R2 = I-I). 5-Amino-1,2,3,4-thiatriazole3(1, 3, 4) (I, R1 = R2 = H) has a high melting point (128-130°, decomp.), a well-defined crystalline character, and is easily soluble in water. I n general, the crystalline character and relatively high melting points extend to the 5-(substituted)amino-1,2,3,4-thiatriazoles (I, R1 = (substituted)aryl; R2 = H) and the corresponding isomeric l-substitutedtetrazoline-5-thiones (11, R1 = (substituted)aryl; R2 = H) (I). This behavior has been explained by the proposal (I) that compounds of structure 1 (R" H ) exist a s a tautomeric mixture probably in zwitterioil form, the latter being best expressed as a meso-ionic ~t r u c t u r e ,~ I11 (R3 = H ) :