Aerobic Copper-Mediated Domino Three-Component Approach to 2-Aminobenzothiazole Derivatives.

An unprecedented three-component reaction involving a 2,2′-diaminodiaryl disulfide, copper cyanide, and an electrophile is described. This transformation is based on an oxidative copper-mediated S-cyanation as a key step and involves a cyanation/cyclization/acylation domino sequence enabling a rapid and efficient synthesis of diversely substituted 2-aminobenzothiazole derivatives. Notably, this reaction proceeds via an original mechanism involving an intermolecular migration of the acyl group.