Process for producing dibenzo[b,f]thiepine derivatives

Abstract

Efficient synthesis of diaryl sulfide derivatives useful as intermediates for pharmaceutical compounds. Provision of a convenient process for producing large quantities of dibenzo[b,f]thiepine derivatives using such intermediates. Halogen-substituted phenyl derivatives of the general formula (1): (where X is a halogen atom and R1-R5 is any substituent selected from among hydrogen, a lower alkyl group, a lower cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom, a lower alkoxyl group, an amino group, an N-lower acylamino group, a nitro group, a lower alkylthio group and a carboxyl group) are reacted with disulfide derivatives of the general formula (2): (where R6-R10 is any substituent selected from among hydrogen, a lower alkyl group, a lower cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom, a lower alkoxyl group, an amino group, an N-lower acylamino group, a nitro group, a lower alkylthio group and a carboxyl group) in the presence of metal catalysts to form a sulfide bond, thereby producing diaryl sulfide derivatives of the general formula (3): (where R1-R10 are the same as defined above) or salts thereof. Pharmaceutical compounds such as dibenzo[b,f]thiepine derivatives are produced from the diaryl sulfide derivatives or salts thereof by known techniques.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.