ABSTRACT: Spontaneous S-alkylation of methimazole (1) with 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) into 1,2-bis[(1-methyl-1H-imidazole-2-yl)thio]ethane (2), that we have described recently, opened the question about its formation pathway(s). Results of the synthetic, NMR spectroscopic, crystallographic and computational studies suggest that, under given conditions, 2 is obtained by direct attack of 1 on the chloroethyl derivative 2-[(chloroethyl)thio]-1-methyl-1H-imidazole (3), rather than through the isolated stable thiiranium ion isomer, i.e., 7-methyl-2H, 3H, 7H-imidazo[2,1-b]thiazol-4-ium chloride (4a, orthorhombic, space group Pnma), or in analogy with similar reactions, through postulated, but unproven intermediate thiiranium ion 5. Furthermore, in the reaction with 1, 4a prefers isomerization to the N-chlor
