Direct access to bis-S-heterocycles via copper-catalyzed three component tandem cyclization using S8 as a sulfur source.

A novel strategy for constructing sulfur containing bis-S-heterocyclic compounds from oxime esters/vinyl azide, phenylacetylene/aldehydes and elemental sulfur (S8) has been developed. These transformations show good functional group tolerance. Various bis-S-heterocyclic products were efficiently synthesized from easily prepared or widely commercially available starting materials. In this protocol, S8 successfully served as a two-sulfur atom donor for thiophene and thiazole rings, respectively.