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

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