Facile synthesis of tetrahydroquinoline containing dithiocarbamate derivatives via one-pot sequential multicomponent reaction.

An efficient sequential multi-component method for the synthesis of tetrahydroquinoline containing dithiocarbamates has been developed. This reaction involved a boronic acid-catalysed reduction of quinolines to tertrahydroquinolines, followed by nucleophilic addition reaction with carbon disulphide to form dithiocarbamic acids and subsequent S -arylation via external base-free Chan-Evans-Lam coupling in a one-pot operation. The methodology is compatible with a wide variety of functional groups and also useful in the late-stage functionalization of pharmaceuticals. The dual role of the boronic acid as a catalyst (in the reduction of quinolines) and as a reagent (in the S -arylation) has been demonstrated for the first time herein.