Chemoselective Ullmann coupling at room temperature: a facile access to 2-aminobenzo[b]thiophenes.

Various functionalized 2-aminobenzo[b]thiophenes have been synthesized at room temperature by the Ullmann coupling reaction for the first time. The enantiospecific coupling reaction has been further demonstrated without loss of optical purity. The newly synthesized 2-anilino-3-cyano-benzo[b]thiophenes are transformed into 11-amino-benzothieno[2,3-b]quinolines in the presence of triflic acid.