10.1002/(SICI)1522-2675(19980909)81:9<1585::AID-HLCA1585>3.0.CO;2-N
The research investigates the reaction of azole N-oxides with thioketones to produce imidazole-2(3H)-thiones and other products. The purpose is to explore the potential of azole N-oxides in sulfur-transfer reactions, which could provide new synthetic routes for heterocyclic compounds. Key chemicals used include 1,4,5-trisubstituted imidazole 3-oxides, cyclobutanethiones, and various thioketones like thiobenzophenone and thioketene. The study concludes that azole N-oxides efficiently undergo sulfur-transfer reactions with thioketones, yielding imidazole-2(3H)-thiones in high yields. The mechanism involves a nucleophilic attack by the N-oxide's oxygen on the thioketone's C-S bond, forming a zwitterionic intermediate that leads to the final products. This reaction pathway is supported by experimental observations and provides a useful method for synthesizing imidazole-2(3H)-thiones without isolating intermediate compounds.