Treatment of 6-methyl-12-oxo-5H,7H-dibenzo[b,g] [1,5]-dithiociniumsalt ( ) with methanolic KOH afforded the ring contracted product ( ), ie, thiepin derivatives, trans- . (44%) and cis-2a (19%). However, the corresponding deoxodithiociniumsalt ( ) gave an unexpected isomer ( ) with the same thiepin skeleton. These are explained by tandem sigmatropy. ... A novel rearrangement of , via tandem sigmatropy is described. ... : mp 178–181.5 °C; the conformation has been ...