The reaction of pyrroles and indoles with B(C(6)F(5))(3) and BCl(3) produces 1:1 B-N complexes containing highly acidic sp(3) carbons, for example, N-[tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane]-5H-pyrrole (1) and N-[tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane]-3H-indole (2), that are formed by a new formal N-to-C hydrogen shift, the mechanism of which is discussed. With some derivatives, restricted rotation around the B-N bond and/or the B-C bonds was observed by NMR techniques, and some rotational barriers were calculated from experimental data. The acidity of the sp(3) carbons in these complexes is shown by their ability to protonate NEt(3), with formation of pyrrolyl- and indolyl-borate ammonium salts. The driving force for this reaction is given by the restoration of the aromaticity of the heterocycle.

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Aromatic azides are inert toward triethylsilane under thermal conditions in the presence of a radical initiator, but in the presence of additional catalytic amounts of tert-dodecanethiol, they afford anilinosilanes and thence the corresponding anilines in virtually quantitative yields.

Aryl radicals react with 2-(2-phenylethynyl)phenyl isothiocyanate through a novel radical cascade reaction entailing formation of alpha-(arylsulfanyl)imidoyl radicals and affording a new class of compounds, i.e. thiochromeno[2,3-b]indoles. These derivatives are formed as mixtures of substituted analogues arising from competitive [4 + 2] and [4 + 1] radical annulations. The isomer ratio is strongly dependent on the aryl substituent and is correlated to its capability to delocalize spin density. The presence of a methylsulfanyl group in the ortho-position of the initial aryl radical results in complete regioselectivity and better yields, as the consequence of both strong spin-delocalization effect, which promotes exclusive [4 + 1] annulation, and good radical leaving-group ability, which facilitates aromatization of the final cyclohexadienyl radical. Theoretical calculations support the hypothesis of competitive, independent [4 + 2] and [4 + 1] annulation pathways. They also suggest that rearrangement onto the sulfur atom of the [4 + 1] intermediate does not occur via a sulfuranyl radical but rather through either a transition state or a sulfur-centered (thioamidyl) radical; the latter is possibly the preferred route in the presence of an o-methylsulfanyl moiety that can act as a leaving group in the final ipso-cyclization process.

A novel cascade radical reaction is described involving aryl isothiocyanates and 2-cyanoaryl radicals. The mechanism entails the formation of an alpha-(arylthio)imidoyl radical, a 5-exo-dig cyclization onto a cyano group, and a final 6-membered ring closure of an iminyl radical. The competitive 5-membered spiro-cyclization of the iminyl, leading to an isomeric product, was only observed in the case of a disubstituted aryl isothiocyanate. The whole process involves a rare example of [3 + 2] radical annulation and allows the one-pot synthesis of tetracondensed nitrogen heterocycles in good yields.