Room temperature dithiocarbamation of 2-tetralones with elemental sulfur and isothiocyanates S/R-NCS: atom-efficient access to 4-hydroxythiazolidine-2-thiones.

2-Tetralones were found to undergo dithiocarbamation with elemental sulfur and isothiocyanates S/R-NCS in the presence of -methylpiperidine as a base catalyst under solvent-free conditions. The reaction could proceed quickly at room temperature to provide convenient access to substituted 4-hydroxythiazolidine-2-thiones with complete atom efficiency. The adducts could be easily dehydrated in neat TFA to give thiazole-2-thiones.