Chemoselective Ullmann Reaction of α-Trisubstituted Thioamides: Synthesis of Novel 2-Iminobenzothiolanes

New classes of unexplored benzo[b]thiolanes are synthesized from trisubstituted thioamides through copper-catalyzed intramolecular S-arylation of thioamides for the first time. This method provides good to excellent yields with fully controlled chemoselectivity. Unusually, iminobenzo[b]thiolanes are very stable under mild acidic conditions. A plausible mechanism is proposed for the chemoselective S-arylation process.

Recent Progress in the Synthesis of Benzo[b]thiophene

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Due to such a wide range of applicability, the synthesis of benzo[b]thiophene derivatives has attracted intensive research. Numerous mild and efficient approaches for the synthesis of benzo[b]thiophenes have been developed over the years. Different catalysts and substrates have been applied for benzo[b]thiophene synthesis. This review will focus on the studies in the construction of benzo[b]thiophene skeleton, which date back from 2012.

One-Pot Synthesis of 2-(Het)aryl/alkyl-3-cyanobenzofurans from 2-(2-Bromoaryl)-3-(het)aryl-3-(methylthio)acrylonitriles and Benzyl Carbamate

A one-pot synthesis of 2-(het)aryl/alkyl-3-cyanobenzofurans has been reported. The overall sequence involves base-induced reaction of 2-(2-bromoaryl)-3-(het)aryl-3-(methylthio)acrylonitriles with benzyl carbamate, generating α-(het)aroyl-α-(2-bromoaryl)acetonitriles, which are in situ subjected to copper-catalyzed intramolecular O-arylation, furnishing the 2-(het)aryl/alkyl-3-cyanobenzofurans in high yields. A probable mechanism for the base-induced cleavage of 2-(2-bromoaryl)-3-(het)aryl-3-(methylthio)acrylonitriles to α-(het)aroyl-α-(2-bromoaryl)acetonitriles in the presence of benzyl carbamate has been proposed.

Sodium halides as the source of electrophilic halogens in green synthesis of 3-halo- and 3,n-dihalobenzo[b]thiophenes

A convenient methodology for the synthesis of mono- and di-halogenated benzo[b]thiophenes is described herein, which utilizes copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and various sodium halides in the presence of substituted 2-alkynylthioanisoles. The proposed method is facile, uses ethanol as a green solvent, and results in uniquely substituted benzo[b]thiophene structures with isolated yields up to 96%. The most useful component of this methodology is the selective introduction of bromine atoms at every available position (2-7) around the benzo[b]thiophene ring, while keeping position 3 occupied by a specific halogen atom such as Cl, Br or I. Aromatic halogens are useful reactive handles; therefore, the selective introduction of halogens at specific positions would be valuable in the targeted synthesis of bioactive molecules and complex organic materials via metal-catalyzed cross coupling reactions. This work is a novel approach towards the synthesis of dihalo substituted benzo[b]thiophene core structures, which provides a superior alternative to the current methods discussed herein.

Nickel catalyzed site selective C–H functionalization of α-aryl-thioamides

A nickel catalyzed C–H bond functionalization reaction has been used for the first time to study an intramolecular site-selective C–S bond formation of arenes.