Regioselective thionation at C-2 of N-substituted isatins: overcoming synthetic paradigms

Abstract

This work employs Lawesson's reagent under simple operational conditions and short reaction times to selectively introduce sulfur into isatin at C-2, enabling access to a diverse range of 2-thioisatins. It fills a decades long gap in isatin chemistry, enabling the synthesis of a new class of heterocycles and challenging the inherent reactivity of C-3.