The isomeric anhydro-2-and 3-hydroxythiazolo [2, 3-b] benzothiazolium hydroxides are convenient substrates for annelation of a five-and six-membered ring to benzothiazole, yielding the pyrrolo [2, 1-b] benzothiazole and the 1H-pyrido [2, 1-b] benzothiazol-l-one ring systems, respectively. The former mesoionic ring system could only be trapped by acetylenic dipolarophiles in situ, whereas the latter was readily available from 2- ...