Dioxolane is a heterocyclic acetal with the formula (CH2)2O2CH2. It is related to tetrahydrofuran by exchanging an oxygen for the CH2 group. The isomer 1,2-dioxolane (in which the two oxygen centers are adjacent) is a peroxide. 1,3-Dioxolane is used as solvent and comonomer in polyacetal. The dioxolane-type and their hydrogenolysis can provide very valuable partially protected building blocks either for oligosaccharide syntheses or sugar transformations.
Tetrahydrothiophene is a sulfur-containing saturated heterocyclic compound obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of thiophene. After thiophene is reduced to tetrahydrothiophene, it no longer has a conjugated system and aromaticity. Therefore, tetrahydrothiophene shows the properties of general thioethers. Easily oxidized to sulfoxides and sulfones. Tetrahydrothiophene can be used as a raw material for the production of pharmaceuticals, pesticides and photochemicals.