A study has been made of the reaction of 1,3-disubstituted benzothieno[2,3-cjpyrylium salts with hydrazine. It has been shown that 1,3-dialkyl-substituted benzothieno[2,3-c]pyrylium salts interact with hydrazine to give N-amino-1,3-dialkylbenzothieno[2,3-c]pyridines. The presence of a pyrylium ring on one of the positions of the pherryl group leads to a mixture of N-amino derivatives and 5H-[2,3]benzothieno[2,3-e]diazepines. In contrast, 1,3-diphenylbenzothieno[2,3-c]pyrylium perchlorate gives exclusively 5H-[2,3]benzothieno[2,3-e]diazepine. ©1999 Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.