The Desulfurization of High Nitrogen Heterocycles

Abstract. High-nitrogen heterocycles, such as tetrazoles, play crucial roles in fields ranging from pharmaceuticals to energetic materials due to their high nitrogen content and tunable reactivity. Despite their utility, traditional synthesis methods for these compounds often involve inconvenient procedures or toxic precursors, limiting their accessibility and broad application. Addressing these limitations, we present an efficient, environmentally friendly synthesis of 1-substituted-5H-tetrazoles. Our method involves the desulfurization of 1-substituted-1H-tetrazole-5-thiones, easily synthesizable from commercially available precursors and comparatively easy to handle. Using zinc chloride as a desulfurizing agent, we demonstrate a reliable and safe pathway that yields high-purity 1-substituted-5H-tetrazoles with significantly improved yields compared to conventional desulfurization processes.