Dibenzo Heterocycles with One Sulfur Atom

The thioxanthone ring system comprises the nucleus for two of the more efficacious orally active antischitosomal drugs. One synthesis for these compounds starts with the chlorsulfonation of pora-chlorotoluene (21-1) to give the sulfonyl chloride (21-2). Treatment of the product with zinc in aqueous sulfuric acid leads to a reduction of the sulfonyl chloride to form the thiophenol (21-3). The key to the formation of this and related thioxanthones and xanthenes consists of the UUman reaction, which 

Reaction of the bromobenzoic acid (23-1) with chlorosulfonic acid leads to the corresponding sulfonyl chloride that affords the sulfonamide (23-2) on treatment 

Treatment of the reduced intermediate (23-6) with butyl hthium leads to the anion from the removal of a proton on the methylene group reaction of that with methyl acetate affords the methyl ketone (24-1), which contains two of the three required side chain carbon atoms. The additional carbon atom and the basic function are incorporated by means of a Mannich condensation. Thus, reaction of (24-1) with A-methylpiperazine and formaldehyde leads to the aminoketone (24-2). The carbonyl group is then reduced with sodium borohydride and the resulting alcohol is dehydrated by reaction with phosphoms oxychloride in pyridine. In this case, too, the Z isomer is responsible for most of the activity. This is isolated from the resulting mixture of olefins to afford thiothixene (24-3) [25]. 

The anion from the parent unsubstituted thioxanthene provides the starting material for a simplified analogue that shows muscle relaxant rather than CNS activity. Alkylation of the anion obtained by treating (25-1) with butyl lithium with substituted piperidine (25-2) affords methixene (25-3) in a single step [26]. 

The equivalence of sulfur and oxygen in this ring system carries over to NSAIDs as well. Preparation of the sulfur analogue of isoxepac (6-4) starts with the alkylation of thiophenol (27-1) with benzyl chloride (26-1). Cyclization of the intermediate thioether (27-2) then affords the homothioxanthone (27-3). The carboxyl side chain is then extended by means of the Amdt-Eistert homologation reaction. The acid is thus hrst converted to its acid chloride by means of thionyl chloride. Reaction with excess diazomethane leads to the diazoketone (27-4). Treatment of that intermediate with silver benzoate and triethylamine leads the ketone to rearrange to an acetic acid. There is thus obtained tiopinac (27-5) [28]. 

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