Reactivity of electrogenerated thiocyanogen in the thiocyanation of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines

Selective thiocyanation (yield 70–90%) at the 3-position of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines was performed with thiocyanogen electrochemically generated in situ from NH₄SCN in MeCN on a Pt anode. For substrates with higher oxidation potential addition of Lewis acids was necessary.