A one-pot procedure for the synthesis of thienyl thioethers is described. Several thienyl thioethers were synthesized by a TfOH-promoted Friedel–Crafts-type cyclization, a subsequent nucleophilic attack by an arenethiol, and dehydration. This protocol was successfully applied to the synthesis of thienoacene derivatives by using a Pd-catalyzed dehydrogenative cyclization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]