Carbonohydrazide and its thio-analogue undergo di-addition with ethoxycarbonyl isothiocyanate. The reaction terminates at the mono-addition stage when one of the hydrazine moieties of the (thio) carbonohydrazide is blocked. The resulting 6-(substiiuted) amino-1-ethoxycarbonyl-thiobiureas and bithioureas are cyclised to the appropriate 1- ethoxycarbonamido-1, 3, 4-thiadiazoles by acids, and to mercapto-1, 2, 4-triazoles by ...