We have developed a nickel-catalyzed insertion reaction of an alkyne into a 2-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-benzothiazole
to give a seven-membered benzothiazepine that is converted into a 2-(trifluoromethyl)quinoline
by thermal desulfidation. This process can be considered a formal substitution of
a sulfur atom with an alkyne. The structure of the thianickelacycle intermediate formed
through oxidative addition of a C–S bond in the benzothiazole to nickel(0) was confirmed
by X-ray single-crystal structure analysis and in situ X-ray absorption fine-structure
spectroscopy.
Key words
nickel catalysis - cycloaddition - desulfidation - alkynes - benzothiazoles - trifluoromethylquinolines