5-Nitrosalicylaldehyde (I) was condensed with diethyl bromomalonate (II) to give ethyl 5-nitrobenzofuran-2-carboxylate (III), which was converted into the corresponding primary amide (IV) by reaction with ethanolic ammonia. Dehydration of amide (IV) to the nitrile (V) was effected by treatment with POCl3. After formation of imidate (VI) with HCl/MeOH, cyclization with ethylenediamine produced the imidazoline (VII). The nitro group of (VII) was then reduced to amine (VIII) using Fe and HCl. This was finally converted to the title isothiocyanate by reaction with thiophosgene.