Metathetic sulfur transfer mediated by N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-methyl-thiazolin-2-thione derivatives: a route to diversely substituted S-alkylcarbamothioates

A new route to S-alkylcarbamothioates is disclosed. In a first step, N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-methyl-thiazolin-2-thione is transformed into a mono- or disubstituted urea at nitrogen, and then in a second step, alkylated at sulfur. The resulting salts, after treatment with a base, gave S-alkylcarbamothioates in high isolated yields together with 3-methyl[1,3]thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazole under very mild conditions.