a malodorous procedure as an odorless reagent that was usable in place of 1,3-propanedithiol (1) in organic reactions, e.g., in the reduction of azides and protection of carbonyl groups. The 1,3-dithioacetals obtained in the latter reaction were effectively reduced to methylene with Raney nickel and reconverted to the original carbonylcompounds by hydrolysis with N-bromosuccinimide in aqueous 2-butanone