Lithiation of thianthrene at C-1 allows the synthesis of various 1-substituted thianthrenes for example thianthren-1-ylboronic acid and 1-tributylstannylthianthrene, which undergo palladium-catalysed couplings with aryl halides. 2-Bromothianthrene provides an entry to 2- substituted thianthrenes lithium–halogen exc