Synthesis and absorption spectra of 2-substituted 5,8-dimethoxy-4H-1-benzothiopyran-4-one 1,1-dioxides

2,3-Dibromo-5,8-dimethoxy-4H-1-benzothiopyran-4-one (thiochromone) 1,1-dioxide which was a starting material to prepare sulfone analogues of 1,4-naphthoquinone dyes was easily prepared from 5,8-dimethoxythiochroman-4-one by oxidation and bromination. The reactions of 2,3-dibromo-5,8-dimethoxythiochromone 1,1-dioxide 4 with aliphatic and aromatic amines in ethanol below 20° gave 2-substituted derivatives 12a-e and at higher reaction temperature the amination gave 2-arylamino derivatives 13c-e debrominated at C -3. The visible absorption spectra of these derivatives were investigated by the PPP MO method.