The synthesis and spontaneous resolution of 2-(2-thioxothiazolidin-3-yl)thiazole

A single crystalline enantiomer of 2-(2-thioxothiazolidin-3-yl)thiazole 5 has been isolated as the major product of the pyrolysis of 3-(2-thiazolin-2-yl)thiazolidine-2-thione 3 (n = 1); the latter isolated as the sole product of the reaction between thiazolidine-2-thione 2 (n = 1) and diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) in benzene.