9-Alkyl-3-methylguanines. reaction with

Substituted purines may arise in mixtures with 9-substituted derivatives from direct alkylation of purine anions. They are best prepared however by Traube syntheses. Thus formylation of 4,5-diamino-6-benzylthiopyrimidine and ethylation of the formyl derivatives gave a formamidopyrimidine which readily cyclized to 6-benzylthio-7-ethylpurine in the presence of potassium carbonate (B-68MI40901, p. 31). The derivative is clearly a ready source of 7-substituted adenines by reaction with ammonia or amines, or of 7-substituted purines by dethiation with Raney nickel. 7-Methylguanine has also been obtained from 7-methyl-guanosine, sodium borohydride and aniline at pH 4.5 (B-78MI40903, p. 615). 

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