Dynamic covalent chemistry of disulfides offers a highly efficient synthesis of diverse benzofused nitrogen-sulfur heterocycles in one pot.

The thiol-disulfide dynamic interchange reaction mediated by 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) was extensively studied. By this synthetic method sulfides can be prepared successfully within seconds in high yields at room temperature from stable and readily available disulfides and an alkylating agent. The method was further demonstrated to efficiently produce benzofused nitrogen-sulfur heterocycles with high skeletal diversity in a one-pot process.