Carbon disulfide reacts with the α-anions of carboxylate salts and esters to form intermediate salts, provides a new pathway to two classes of compounds: dithioesters and ketene mercaptals. The reaction produced the first carboxylated derivatives of dithioesters and ketene mercaptals. Examples of 2-carboxylated dithioesters and ketene mercaptals as well as their decarboxylated derivatives have been prepared and characterized.