Preparation of Substituted Methyl o-Nitrophenyl Sulfides

The nucleophilic substitution of substituted o-nitrochlorobenzenes with substituted methanethiolates, catalysed with triethylamine or pyridine, has been used to prepare a series of appropriately substituted methyl-o-nitrophenylsulfides. The prepared compounds were identified by their (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectra. The base catalysed ring closure of methyl 2-(methoxycarbonylmethylsulfanyl)-3,5-dinitrobenzenecarboxylate only results in an attack of carbanion on the ester group, not on a nitro group as with the other compounds prepared. The cyclisation product is methyl 3-hydroxy-5,7-dinitro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxylate (11).