N 2 -Selective β-Thioalkylation of Benzotriazoles with Alkenes.

Herein, N 2 -selective β-thioalkylation of benzotriazoles with unactivated alkenes and styrenes is reported. The N 2 -selective β-thioalkylation of benzotriazoles is highly stereospecific and works under simple and mild conditions, exhibiting excellent functional group tolerance. The high N 2 -selectivity is a consequence of the combination of hydrogen bonding and Lewis acid/base activation, which reverses the N 2 -position to be favored for alkylation.