Sequential change in one-pot, three-component protocol: A stepping stone in heterocyclic synthesis

Two different heterocycles, thiazole-2-imines and imidazole-2-thiones, have been conveniently synthesized by just altering the sequential order (<b>1 + 2 + 3</b> or <b>1 + 3 + 2</b>) when combining the same components [aryl amine (<b>1</b>), aryl isothiocyanate (<b>2</b>), and phenacyl bromide (<b>3</b>)] in one-pot, three-component protocols. The third possible sequential order of combination (<b>2 + 3 + 1</b>) chemoselectively affords thiazole-2-imine. The finding is a stepping stone in the synthetic applicability of sequential one-pot, three-component protocols.