Reaction of 2-iodo-4-methoxybenzoic acid with 3-methoxythiophenol resulted in the acid II which was transformed via the alcohol III and the nitrile IV to [4-methoxy-2-(3-methoxyphenylthio)phenyl]acetic acid (V). Reaction of (2-iodophenyl)acetic acid with 3,4-dimethoxythiophenol gave the isomeric [2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenylthio)phenyl]acetic acid (XI). Acids V and XI afforded by cyclization the ketones VIa and VIb which were converted by reactions with 1-methylpiperazine and titanium tetrachloride to the enamines IXa and IXb. Reduction of these enamines with diborane led to the title compounds. Attempts to reduce the enamines with zinc in acetic acid resulted in hydrogenolysis, the main products being 2,3-dimethoxy- and 3,7-dimethoxy-10,11-dihydrodibenzo[b,f]thiepin (Xab).
2-碘-4-甲氧基苯甲酸与3-甲氧基噻吩酚反应生成酸II,经过醇III和腈IV转化为[4-甲氧基-2-(3-甲氧基苯硫基)苯基]乙酸(V)。2-碘苯乙酸与3,4-二甲氧基噻吩酚反应得到异构体[2-(3,4-二甲氧基苯硫基)苯基]乙酸(XI)。酸V和酸XI通过环化得到酮VIa和VIb,经过与1-甲基哌嗪和四氯化钛反应转化为烯胺IXa和IXb。用二硼烷还原这些烯胺得到标题化合物。尝试用乙酸中的锌还原这些烯胺导致氢解,主要产物为2,3-二甲氧基和3,7-二甲氧基-10,11-二氢二苯并[b,f]噻吩(Xab)。