A one-step synthesis of (S)-3-thioacetylsulfolane is described. Reaction of 3-sulfolene with thiolacetic acid in the presence of AIBN or Ph3SiSH under basic conditions gave racemic 3-thioacetylsulfolane in 30-32% yield. Enantiomerically pure (S)-3-thioacetylsulfolane was obtained by chiral chromatography.