Heterocyclic Chemistry of Sulfur Chlorides – Fast Ways to Complex Heterocycles

Abstract This microreview highlights the most important advances in the synthetic applications of sulfur dichloride and disulfur dichloride for the preparation of heterocycles. Sulfur chlorides can be considered some of the best sulfur‐transfer reagents for the synthesis of heterocyclic systems. Their high reactivity towards nucleophilic organic compounds such as alkenes, alkynes, amines, nitriles, oximes, and their both chlorinating and sulfurating character explain the extensive use of these reagents. In many cases, the initial reactions give rise to reactive intermediates that can be trapped by nucleophiles in a tandem fashion, expanding the possibilities of the reactions. In this way, several new heterocyclic systems can be obtained by a careful selection of the appropriate combination of reagents. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)