Abstract Reactivity of the 3-halo-2-amino derivatives of benzo [6] thiophene 1a-c and 2 with several ketone enolates 3–5 have been studied under photostimulated S RN 1 reaction conditions. The normal substitution product 6 only was obtained in low yields using potassioacetophenone 3 as the enolate ion and 2-(tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-3- chlorobenzo [b] thiophene (1a) and 2-(tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-3-iodobenzo [b] ...