The development of novel synthetic methods in organic chemistry is important for it allows the construction of complex molecules by new routes. Studies were made on the anion derived from 3-dimethylamino-lphenylthioprop-l-ene with the view to developing a new a,8-unsaturated acyl anion equivalent. A new route to substituted 1,3-bis(phenylthio) alk-l-enes was discovered and is described in Chapter One. Chapter Two describes new approaches to cyclopent-2-enones. 1-Phenylthio-2-(phenylthiomethyl)cyclopent-l-ene was prepared and the anion of this reacted with a number of electrophiles. Alkylated products were hydrolysed with mercuric chloride providing a cyclopentanone-2methylidene anion equivalent and, potentially, a new general route to cyclopent-2-enones. Pyrindicin, a fungal metabolite of biological interest, is the topic of Chapter Three. The attempted synthesis of this alkaloid by several routes was not successful.