Thioacetals are the sulphur analogue of acetals. They are made in a similar way to acetals, but using a thiol along with an aldehyde or ketone, and either a Lewis acid catalyst or an acid catalyst can be used.

This is an important reaction, as going from an aldehyde / ketone to a thioacetal inverts the polarity at the functionalised carbon atom. Thioacetals are nucleophilic whereas the starting carbonyl containing compound was not. This is a case of umpolung.

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Functional groups | Organosulfur compounds