A facile and efficient one-pot synthesis of thiochromans from bis(2-formylphenyl) disulfide and alkenols via iodine-promoted generation and subsequent intramolecular cycloaddition of ortho-thiobenzoquinone methides

Stereoselective synthesis of tetrahydrofuro- and tetrahydropyrano[3,2-c]benzothiopyrans was achieved by intramolecular [4+2]cycloaddition of o-thiobenzoquinone methides that were generated in situ from bis(2-formylphenyl) disulfide and alkenols in the presence of iodine under mild reaction conditions.