Abstract: | Synthesis of 7‐chloro‐9‐trifluoromethyl‐/7‐fluorophenothiazines is reported by Smiles rearrangement of 5‐chloro‐3‐trifluoromethyl‐/5‐fluoro‐2‐formamido‐2′‐nitrodiphenyl sulfides. The later were obtained by the formylation of 2‐amino‐5‐chloro‐7‐trifluoromethyl‐/5‐fluoro‐2′‐nitrodiphenyl sulfides, which were prepared by the condensation of 2‐amino‐5‐fluoro‐/5‐chloro‐3‐trifluoromethyl benzenethiols with o‐halonitrobenzenes. 1‐Nitrophenothiazines have also been synthesized by the condensation of 2‐aminobenzenethiols with o‐halonitrobenzenes, involving Smiles rearrangement in situ. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 18:81–86, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20235 |