Transition-Metal-Free Regioselective Cross-Coupling: Controlled Synthesis of Mono- or Dithiolation Indolizines.

An efficient transition-metal-free regioselective C-H/S-H cross-coupling of indolizines with thiols has been developed for the first time to describe a workable route to indolizine thioethers. This finding provides a new method and more straightforward pathway for controllable synthesis of mono- or dithiolation indolizines that are otherwise difficult to obtain by the literature methods. The reaction exhibits good functional group tolerance and high efficiency and affords the products in good to excellent yields.