First X-ray Crystal Structure Characterization, Computational Studies, and Improved Synthetic Route to the Bioactive 5-Arylimino-1,3,4-thiadiazole Derivatives

N-arylcyanothioformamides are useful coupling components for building key chemical intermediates and biologically active molecules in an expedited and efficient manner. Similarly, substituted (Z)-2-oxo-N-phenylpropanehydrazonoyl chlorides have been utilized in numerous one-step heteroannulation reactions to assemble the structural core of several different types of heterocyclic compounds. Herein, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the reaction of N-arylcyanothioformamides with various substituted (Z)-2-oxo-N-phenylpropanehydrazonoyl chlorides to produce, stereoselectively and regioselectively, a range of 5-arylimino-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives decorated with a multitude of functional groups on both aromatic rings. The synthetic methodology features mild room-temperature conditions, large substrate scope, wide array of functional groups on both reactants, and good to high reaction yields. The products were isolated by gravity filtration in all cases and structures were confirmed by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and high accuracy mass spectral analysis. Proof of molecular structure of the isolated 5-arylimino-1,3,4-thiadiazole regioisomer was obtained for the first time by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Crystal-structure determination was carried out on (Z)-1-(5-((3-fluorophenyl)imino)-4-(4-iodophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)ethan-1-one and (Z)-1-(4-phenyl-5-(p-tolylimino)-4,5-dihydro-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)ethan-1-one. Similarly, the tautomeric structures of the N-arylcyanothioformamides and (Z)-geometries of the 2-oxo-N-phenylpropanehydrazonoyl chloride coupling partners were proven by X-ray diffraction studies. As representative examples, crystal-structure determination was carried out on (4-ethoxyphenyl)carbamothioyl cyanide and (Z)-N-(2,3-difluorophenyl)-2-oxopropanehydrazonoyl chloride. Density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP-D4/def2-TZVP level were carried out to rationalize the observed experimental findings.