Abstract
A novel method for the preparation of 2,3-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole 9 by iodination and subsequent cyclization of the easily available N-allylimidazoline-2-thiones 5, is described. Selected transformations of the iodomethyl derivatives 9, leading to methylidene compounds 10 or the sulfide 11 (Nu = RS), via elimination with a base or via substitution with an enolizable imidazoline-2-thione (the term ‘1,3-dihydroimidazole-2-thione’ will be used alternatively), respectively, are presented.