ISOMERIC 5-(SUBSTITUTED)AMINOTHIATRIAZOLE AND 1-SUBSTITUTED-TETRAZOLINETHIONES

Abstract

The reaction of organic isothiocyanates with sodium azide in ethanol and water has been investigated. Water is shown to be the more advantageous solvent for this reaction giving higher yields and initially purer 1-substituted-tetrazoline-5-thiones. A series of these latter compounds was made by this procedure. The yield of product appears to be dependent on the electrical properties of the substituent of the isothiocyanate, the yields decreasing as the electron-donating properties increase. A series of new 4-substituted-thiosemicarbazides has been prepared and converted by diazotization to the corresponding 5-(substituted)aminothiatriazoles. A theory to account for the differences in the mode of reaction of hydrazoic acid and azide ion is presented and discussed. The basic conversion of 5-(substituted)aminothiatriazoles to 1-substituted-tetrazolinethiones may involve a simple dearrangement–rearrangement mechanism complicated by side reactions. A summary of known isomeric 5-(substituted)aminothiatriazoles and 1-substituted-tetrazolinethiones is presented.