A Three-Step Synthesis of (3Ar,7ar)-1,3-bis(4-aminobenzyl)octahydro-2h-benzo[d]imidazole-2-thione from Trans-(R, R)-diaminocyclohexane

Imidazolidin-2-thiones are versatile sulfur-containing heterocycles with broad biological relevance. The synthesis of (3aR,7aR)-1,3-bis(4-aminobenzyl)octahydro-2H-benzo[d]imidazole-2-thione (an imidazolidin-2-thione derivative) from trans-(R, R)-diaminocyclohexane is presented via a three-step sequence: formation of a Schiff base from 1,2-diamine and 4-nitrobenzaldehyde, followed by reduction with NaBH4; thiocarbonylation under microwave irradiation (MW) to generate the imidazolidin-2-thione core; and reduction of the nitro substituents to amines using an iron/CaCl2 system. The structure of the final compound was confirmed by detailed 1H and 13C NMR analyses, demonstrating the preservation of the bicyclic backbone and the successful conversion of the nitro functional group. The overall yield of the sequence was 28%, with the reduction of the nitro group identified as the rate-limiting step. This protocol represents a viable synthetic strategy for obtaining functionalized imidazolidin-2-thiones useful for the development of novel bioactive sulfur-containing heterocycles.