2- Thiouracil

The primary synthesis of alkoxypyrimidines is exemplified in the condensation of dimethyl malonate with O-methylurea in methanolic sodium methoxide at room temperature to give the 2-methoxypyrimidine (854) (64M207) in the condensation of diethyl phenoxymalonate with formamidine in ethanolic sodium methoxide to give the 5-phenoxypyrimidine (855) (64ZOB1321) and in the condensation of butyl 2,4-dimethoxyacetoacetate with thiourea to give 5-methoxy-6-methoxymethyl-2-thiouracil (856) (58JA1664). 

The best direct synthetic route to uracil is probably the classical procedure from malic acid and urea in concentrated sulfuric acid (26JA2379), despite efforts to use maleic acid, urea and polyphosphoric acid (71S154) or propiolic acid, urea and a little concentrated sulfuric acid (77JOC2185) to achieve the same result. However, the most convenient source (apart from purchase) is to convert 2-thiouracil (937 X = S) into uracil by boiling with aqueous chloroacetic acid (52MI21300) or perhaps by oxidation with DMSO in strong sulfuric acid (74S491). 

Hyperthyroidism may be treated in several ways. One of these is interference with the synthesis of the thyroid hormones, possibly by removal of iodine. Thiourea and cyclic thioureas have this effect and of such cyclic compounds, thiouracil (1030 R = H), its 6-alkyl derivatives (1030 R = Me or Pr) and thiobarbital (1031) are effective thyroid drugs. Today only propylthiouracil (1030 R = Pr) is widely used, probably because it has fewer side effects than the others (71MI21302). The thiouracils are made by the Principal Synthesis from a /3-oxo ester (1032 R = H, Me, Pr, etc.) and thiourea (45JA2197) their fine structures are experimentally based (64AF1004). 

One of the extensively investigated applications of enamines to heterocyclic syntheses is based on the bifunctional character of enamine acylation products. Thus the vinylogous ureas and thiorueas obtained from enamines and phenylisocyanate and phenylisothiocyanate (-433) have been converted to aminopyrazoles and thiouracils with hydrazine (566) and phenylisocyanate (567). 

The tautomerism of the thiouracils has been discussed with reference to their ultraviolet speetra. Dipole moment studies of the mono- and di-thiouracils (211 X, Y — 0, S) and their various alkyl derivatives indicate that they all exist in the dioxo, oxothio, or di-thione form, and this has been confirmed by X-ray studies and,... 

The reaction involves an electrophilic attack into the 5-position of the pyrimidine ring and thus only those pyrimidines that are activated toward electrophilic substitution by the presence of electron-donating substituents at the 2- and 4-positions undergo cyclization. 2,4,6-Triaminopyrimidine, 6-aminouracil, 6-amino-2-thiouracil, 4-amino-2,4 dimercaptopyrimidine, 2,4-diaminopyrimidin-6(l/I)-one, and various 4-amino-vV-alkyl and aryl pyriinidones have all been converted into pyrido[2,3-[Pg.160]

Alkylthio, arylthio, and thioxo. The thioxo group in pyrimidine-2,4-dithione can be displaced by amines, ammonia, and amine acetates, and this amination is specific for the 4-position in pyrimidines and quinazolines. 2-Substitution fails even when a 5-substituent (cf. 134) sterically prevents reaction of a secondary amine at the 4-position. Acid hydrolysis of pyrimidine-2,4-dithione is selective at the 4-position. 2-Amination of 2-thiobarbituric acid and its /S-methyl derivative has been reported. Under more basic conditions, anionization of thioxo compounds decreases the reactivity 2-thiouracil is less reactive toward hot alkali than is the iS-methyl analog. Hydrazine has been reported to replace (95°, 6 hr, 65% 3deld) the 2-thioxo group in 5-hexyl-6-methyl-2-thiouracil. Ortho and para mercapto- or thio- azines are actually in the thione form. ... 

Katritzky and Taft were the first to use ICR proton affinities for tautomeric studies (76JA6048). This and work of Katritzky and Nibbering (77TL1777) discuss the tautomerism of pyridones and thiopyridones and conclude that ICR results are in agreement with previous studies of Beak (76JA171)—that in the gas phase the OH and SH tautomers predominate. The complicated case of 2-thiouracil (six aromatic tautomers) was studied by Katritzky and Eyler [89JCS(P2)1499] they conclude that the oxothioxo tautomer is the most stable. 

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