Palladium-catalyzed direct (het)arylation reactions of strongly electron-withdrawing tricyclic benzo[1,2-d:4,5-d']bis([1,2,3]thiadiazole) and its 4,8-dibromo derivative were studied; the conditions for the selective formation of mono- and bis-aryl derivatives were found. The reaction of 4,8-dibromobenzo[1,2-d:4,5-d']bis([1,2,3]thiadiazole) with thiophenes in the presence of palladium acetate as a catalyst and potassium pivalate as a base, depending on the conditions used, selectively gave both mono- and bis-thienylated benzo-bis-thiadiazoles in low to moderate yields; arenes were found to be inactive in these reactions. It was discovered that direct C-H arylation of benzo[1,2-d:4,5-d']bis([1,2,3]thiadiazole with bromo(iodo)arenes and -thiophenes in the presence of Pd(OAc)2 and di-tert-butyl(methyl)phosphonium tetrafluoroborate salt is a powerful tool for the selective formation of 4-mono- and 4,8-di(het)arylated benzo-bis-thiadiazoles. Oxidative double C-H hetarylation of benzo[1,2-d:4,5-d']bis([1,2,3]thiadiazole with thiophenes in the presence of Pd(OAc)2 and silver (I) oxide in DMSO was successfully employed to prepare bis-thienylbenzo-bis-thiadiazoles in moderate yields.
Keywords: 4,8-dibromobenzo[1,2-d:4,5-d′]bis([1,2,3]thiadiazole); benzo[1,2-d:4,5-d′]bis([1,2,3]thiadiazole); direct (het)arylation palladium catalyzed reactions; sulfur-nitrogen heterocycles.