Heteroarenium salts in synthesis. Highly functionalized tetra- and pentasubstituted pyridines

Activation of chloropyridines by heteroarenium substituents allows sequential substitutions by O-, N-, and S-nucleophiles. Reaction of 2,3,5,6-tetrachloropyridine and 4-ethylsulfanyl-2,3,5,6-tetrachloropyridine with 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine, 4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridine, or 4-aminopyridine results in the formation of 2,6-bis-heteroarenium substituted 3,5-dichloropyridines. On nucleophilic displacement of the heteroarenium substituents by O-, N-, or S-nucleophiles highly functionalized 3,5-dichloropyridines form which possess N2,S4,N6-, O2,S4,O6-, O2,O6-, N2,N6-, and S2,S6-substitution patterns.