Chemists developed an iodine-mediated reaction of 2-mercaptobenzimidazoles with carbonyl compounds and an amine additive, giving either fused imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles or thioenamines depending on substrate class.
Key findings
- Aliphatic carbonyls underwent α-sulfenylation and intramolecular cyclisation to imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles, whereas aromatic methyl ketones and 1,3-dicarbonyls selectively yielded α-sulfenylated thioenamines, indicating substrate-controlled divergence from a shared intermediate.
Why this matters globally
Divergent access to heterocycles and thioenamines from related inputs may support molecular libraries for materials or discovery chemistry, subject to application-specific evaluation.
Thai researcher contribution
Six Chiang Mai University researchers, including Mookda Pattarawarapan, Surat Hongsibsong and Wong Phakhodee, developed the reaction and mechanistic analysis; Crossref confirms their Thailand affiliations.
Limitations to consider
The abstract does not quantify substrate count, yields, selectivity or all mechanistic controls. Practicality depends on iodine, solvents, purification and waste. Scale-up, green metrics, toxicology and end-use properties were not established.
Verify the original sources
SynthesisRead the original article↗DOI: 10.1055/a-2900-9049