A facile tandem protocol for the regioselective synthesis of novel thienobenzothiazepines

A series of new 3-benzyl-1,10-diaryl-4H,10H-thieno[3,4-c][1,5]benzothiazepines has been synthesised regioselectively from the reaction of 5-aryl-2,4-bis(arylmethylidene)dihydro-3-thiophenones with o-aminothiophenol in the presence of acetic acid. This transformation presumably occurs via a tandem Michael addition–condensation–isomerisation sequence.