Abstract Oxidation of 2H, 6H-thiin-3-ones 1a–c with 3-chloroperbenzoic acid affords the corresponding 1-oxides 2a–c. On irradiation (350 nm) in either benzene or MeCN, these cyclic sulfoxides 2 isomerize to 3H, 7H-1, 2-oxathiepin-4-ones 3. The tetramethyl derivative 3a is isolated by flash chromatography at− 10, but, at higher temperatures, it undergoes ring contraction and H 2 O elimination to give 4, 4-dimethyl-2 (2-methylprop-2enylidene) ...