Novel route to the synthesis of 4-quinolyl isothiocyanates

4-Quinolyl isothiocyanates were synthesized in a regiospecific fashion from the corresponding 4-chloroquinolines and silver thiocyanate in refluxing toluene. The products were isolated in quantitative yield and high purity (>95%) by simple filtration and concentration. Reactivity and mechanism of the reaction are discussed. The new approach would provide a new mean which had been lacking for the synthesis of functionalized 4-quinolinyl isothiocyanate.