Conversion of pyrroles into bi-1,2,5-thiadiazoles: a new route to biheterocycles

Abstract

Trithiazyl trichloride 1 converts 1,2,5-triphenylpyrrole 5 into its 3,4-dichloro derivative together with the isothiazole imine 6 and the imine hydrolysis product, the ketone 3. The best yield of the isothiazole 6 is obtained in the presence of 4 Å molecular sieves (Table 1). Conversion of the pyrrole 5 into the isothiazole 6 is exactly analogous to the reaction of 1 with 2,5-diphenyl-furan and -thiophene. Other N-aryl and the related 2,5-diphenylpyrroles 8 give similar results (Table 2). However, 1-methyl-2,5-diphenylpyrrole 11 reacts with 1 in an entirely different way to give 4,4′-diphenyl-3,3′-bi-1,2,5-thiadiazole 12, in which two thiadiazole rings have been fused onto the pyrrole and the CH₃N unit has been excised as HCN. The same product 12 is formed, in similar yields, by reaction of 1 with 1,4-diphenylbuta-1, 3-diyne and 1,4-diphenylbut-1-en-3-yne. Other N-alkyl 2,5-diphenylpyrroles 16 react similarly (Table 3), giving the best yield (70%) of bi-thiadiazole 12 in the presence of 4 Å molecular sieves (Table 4). 1-Methyl- and 1-ethyl-3,4-dibromo-2,5-diphenylpyrrole also give 12, together with 3-(benzoyldichloromethyl)-4-phenyl-1,2,5-thiadiazole 21 in high combined yield. The formation of bi-1,2,5-thiadiazole 12 from N-alkylpyrroles represents a new dissection of the pyrrole ring and a new and very short route to an aromatic biheterocyclic system. Mechanisms which rationalise the different pathways observed are proposed for all of these reactions.