Synthesis of C2 Substituted Benzothiophenes via an Interrupted Pummerer/[3,3]-Sigmatropic/1,2-Migration Cascade of Benzothiophene S-Oxides.

Functionalized benzothiophenes are important scaffolds found in molecules with wide ranging biological activity and in organic materials. We describe an efficient, metal-free synthesis of C2 arylated, allylated, and propargylated benzothiophenes. The reaction utilizes synthetically unexplored yet readily accessible benzothiophene S-oxides and phenols, allyl-, or propargyl silanes in a unique cascade sequence. An interrupted Pummerer reaction between benzothiophene S-oxides and the coupling partners yields sulfonium salts that lack aromaticity and therefore allow facile [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement. The subsequently generated benzothiophenium salts undergo a previously unexplored 1,2-migration to access C2 functionalized benzothiophenes.