Cyclosulfenylation of N-(1(2)-naphthyl) styrylacetamides as a synthetic route to 4(2)-arylthio naphtho[1,2-b]([2,1-b])azepin-2(4)-ones

Cyclofunctionalization of 1- and 2-naphthyl styrylacetamides with benzene- and 4-toluenesulfenyl chlorides in a nitromethane medium in the presence of an equimolar amount of LiClO₄ as a doping agent is distinguished by high chemoselectivity affording, respectively, 5-aryl-4-arylthio-1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-2H-naphtho[1,2-b]azepin-2-ones and 1-aryl-2-arylthio-1,2,3,5-tetrahydro-4H-naphtho[2,1-b]azepin-4-ones.