Formation of 3-[amino(aryl)-methylidene]-1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-ones involving ring transformation of 2-aryl-5-(2-aminophenyl)-4-hydroxy-1,3-thiazoles

•New 2-aryl-5-(2-aminophenyl)-4-hydroxy-1,3-thiazoles were prepared.•Rearrangement of thiazoles involving Eschenmoser coupling reaction was studied.•Rate limiting step of rearrangement involves cleavage of intermediary thiirane ring.

The reaction of 3-bromooxindole with substituted (hetero)aromatic thioamides in acetonitrile was studied. At room temperature the reaction preferably gives products of ring transformation i.e. 2-aryl-5-(2-aminophenyl)-4-hydroxy-1,3-thiazoles (3b-f,h) whereas at elevated temperature products of an Eschenmoser coupling reaction, i.e. 3-[amino(aryl)-methylidene]-1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-ones (2b-f), are formed exclusively. There exist only two exceptions (4-methoxy and 2-pyridinthioamide) in which the Eschenmoser coupling reaction always takes place giving 2a and 2g. Also N-methylation of the starting 3-bromooxindole completely prevents formation of thiazoles. The prepared thiazoles 3b-f are unstable in solution and they undergo slow ring transformation to 2b-f. The rate limiting step of this rearrangement involves cleavage of an intermediary thiirane ring, which is slowed down by electron-withdrawing substituents on the thioamide (ρ = −1.15).

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