The obvious synthetic route from tetrachloromethane does not provide the desired product, as in the homologous tetramethoxymethane.

Another route reacts thallous ethoxide with carbon disulfide in dry methylene dichloride.

[8] A more recent synthesis starts directly from sodium ethoxide, tin(IV)chloride, and carbon disulfide.

In addition, it reacts with amines, enol ethers and sulfonamides,[12] whereby spiro compounds can also be obtained.

Spiro orthocarbonates (SOCs)[13] are of some industrial interest, as they are used as additives for reducing shrinkage during the polymerization of epoxides (they are used as expanding monomers).