Nickel-Catalyzed [5+2] Cycloaddition of 10π-Electron Aromatic Benzothiophenes with Alkynes To Form Thermally Metastable 12π-Electron Nonaromatic Benzothiepines.

The nickel-catalyzed formal [5+2] cycloaddition of five-membered benzothiophenes and alkynes giving seven-membered benzothiepines via unprecedented dearomatization is reported. The reaction involves the carbothiolation of alkynes with sulfur-containing aromatic heterocycles affording sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds via ring expansion. As a result, this method facilitates divergent access to thermally metastable benzothiepines. The structure of the thianickelacycle intermediate, which is formed via oxidative addition of the C-S bond in benzothiophenes to nickel(0), was confirmed by in situ X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and density functional theory calculation.