Direct synthesis of fused 1,2,3,4,5-pentathiepins

Treatment of nucleophilic heterocycles like pyrroles and thiophenes, and their tetrahydro derivatives, with S2Cl2 and DABCO in chloroform at room temperature provides a simple one-pot synthesis of fused mono and bispentathiepins. N-Methylpyrrole and its 2-chloro and 2,5-dichloro derivatives and N-methylpyrrolidine all give the same dichloropentathiepin 1a. N-Ethyl, isopropyl and tert-butylpyrrolidine behave similarly; the isopropylpyrrolidine also gives the bispentathiepin 6which undergoes an intriguing rearrangement to the symmetrical monopentathiepin 1c. N-Methyl and ethyl indole give either 2,3-dichloro derivatives 8 or the pentathiepinoindoles 9, depending upon the reaction conditions. Thiophene and tetrahydrothiophene give the pentathiepin 10. X-Ray crystal structures are provided for the pentathiepins 1a and 1d, and possible reaction pathways are suggested for the extensive cascade reactions reported.