A convenient [hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene-mediated one-pot synthesis of 2-arylimidazo[2,1-<i>b</i>]benzothiazoles

Several 2-arylimidazo[2,1-<i>b</i>]benzothiazoles (<b>4</b>) have been conveniently synthesized in one-pot reactions <i>via</i> α-tosyloxylation of enolizable ketones (<b>1</b>) using [hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene <b>2</b> in acetonitrile, followed by treatment with 2-amino-6-(substituted)benzothiazoles (<b>3</b>). The present protocol offers several advantages towards general access of 2-arylimidazo[2,1-<i>b</i>]benzothiazoles, including an intriguing alternative to the literature protocols, a readily available nontoxic reagent, operational simplicity and an environmentally benign procedure.