In our approach the pyrrole ring is constructed in two steps from a 1,3-dithiole-2-thione core bearing two vicinal bromomethyl groups, where the first step is a ring closure reaction with sodium tosylamide followed by oxidation of the annelated dihydropyrrole ring to give the N-tosyl-protected pyrrole. The tosyl group plays a triple role. First, it activates the nitrogen in the ring closure reaction. Second, it works as an excellent protecting group for the pyrrole nitrogen during ...