Reduction of sulfoxides with low valent tungsten reagents derived from WCl6/BuLi and WCl6/Zn was studied. The sulfoxides are converted to corresponding sulfides in good yields. Pyridine N-oxides are also reduced easily with WCl6/BuLi to give the corresponding pyridines in almost quant. yields. A yellow solid WCl4(THF)n is isolated from the reaction of one mole of WCl6 with two moles of BuLi in THF at low temperature, and its composition is established by using ESCA, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. Reaction of WCl4(THF)n with pyridine gives the known WCl4(C5H5N)2.

Key words: PYRIDINE P, SULFOXIDE, ZINC, REACTION MECHANISM, PYRIDINE, TETRAHYDROFURAN, SULFUR ETHER, BUTYLLITHIUM, REDUCTION REACTION, REDUCER