Uric acid methylation

Uric acid, 8-ethoxy-1,3,7-trimethyl-rearrangement, 5, 534 Uric acid, methyl-reduction, 5, 541 Uric acid, 7-methyl-synthesis, 5, 582... 

Uric acid, 9-methyl-2,8-dithio-, 5, 590 Uric acid, 9-phenyl-synthesis, 5, 577 Uric acid, 8-thio-synthesis, 5, 577, 582 Uric acid, 1,3,7-trimethyl-ethylation, 5, 534 methylation, 5, 535 Uric acid, 1,7,9-trimethyl-methylation, 5, 535 Uridine... 

In addition to the intramolecular effects, steric factors are of considerable influence. The most usual one consists of steric hindrance to attack on the lactam nitrogen atom. Certain examples of this will be given. By comparison with uracil, it would be expected that uric acid (10) would be iV-methylated in the pyrimidine ring, but that in the imidazole ring 0-methylation should also be possible. However, the experiments of Biltz and Max show that all uric acid derivatives which carry a hydrogen atom in the 9-position are converted by ethereal diazomethane into l,3,7-trimethyl-8-methoxyxanthine (11). The following are examples uric acid and its 1-methyl, 3-methyl, 7-methyl, 1,3-dimethyl, 1,7-dimethyI, 3,7-dimethyl, and 1,3,7-trimethyl derivatives. Uric acid derivatives which arc substituted by alkyl groups in the 3- and 9-positions (e.g., 3,9-dimethyl-, 1,3,9-trimethyl-, and 3,7,9-trimethyl-uric acid)do not react at all with diazomethane, possibly because of insufficient acidity. Uric acids which are alkylated... 

Replacement of the methyl ketone moiety in 78 by a phenyl sulfoxide, interestingly, leads to a relatively potent uricosuric agent with diminished antiinflammatory action. This effect in lowering serum levels or uric acid leads to the use of this drug in the treatment of gout. Alkylation of diethyl malonate with the chlorosulfide, 79, gives the intermediate, 80. The pyrazolodione (81) is prepared in the usual way by condensation with hydrazobenzene. Careful oxidation of the sulfide with one equiv-... 

Fig. 11. Mechanism for formation of parabanic acids from the methylated uric acid-4,5-diol derived from theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) and caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxan-thine). Molar amounts of products are those formed in 1 M HOAc...

Formation of methylated allantoins from the uric acid-4,5-diols (IV, X,... 

Secondary rearrangement of the uric acid-4,5-diol derived from theobromine or caffeine to give a methylated alloxan is shown in IV - XXII and X XXIII, Fig. 13 respectively. 

In the case of the methylated xanthines, particularly theophylline, theobromine and caffeine, the preponderance of data on the metabolism of these compounds in man suggests that a methylated uric acid is the principal product. However, the data presented earlier proposes at best a 77 per cent accounting of the methylated xanthine administered. The question can be raised as to whether the final products observed upon electrochemical oxidation of these compounds aids these studies. Very recently studies of metabolism of caffeine have revealed that 3,6,8-trimethylallantoin is a metabolite of caffeine 48>. This methylated allantoin is, of course, a major product observed electrochemically. The mechanism developed for the electrochemical oxidation seems to nicely rationalize the observed products and electrochemical behavior. The mechanism of biological oxidation could well be very similar, although insufficient work has yet been performed to come to any definite conclusions. There is however, one major difference between the electrochemical and biological reactions which is concerned with the fact that in the former situation no demethylation occurs whereas in the latter systems considerable demethylation appears to take place. 

Methylation of some form of 6-mercaptopurine in man has been established by the identification of 6-(methylsulphinyl)-8-hydroxypurine (LXV), 6-(methylthio)uric acid (LX), and 6-(methylthio)-8-hydroxy-A -glucuronide (LXVll). The oxidation of 6-(methylthio)purine to 6-(methylthio)-8-hydroxy-purine (LXVl) is mediated much more rapidly by rabbit liver aldehyde oxidase than by xanthine oxidase, and the oxidation is not inhibited by 4-hydroxy-pyrazolo [3, 4-d] pyrimidine [269], which is known to be an effective inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, and consequently, of the oxidation of 6-mercaptopurine [12,268]. 

As with adults, the primary organ responsible for drug metabolism in children is the liver. Although the cytochrome P450 system is fully developed at birth, it functions more slowly than in adults. Phase I oxidation reactions and demethylation enzyme systems are significantly reduced at birth. However, the reductive enzyme systems approach adult levels and the methylation pathways are enhanced at birth. This often contributes to the production of different metabolites in newborns from those in adults. For example, newborns metabolize approximately 30% of theophylline to caffeine rather than to uric acid derivatives, as occurs in adults. While most phase I enzymes have reached adult levels by 6 months of age, alcohol dehydrogenase activity appears around 2 months of age and approaches adult levels only by age 5 years. 

The electrochemical oxidation of several N-methylated uric acids,405 406 as well as application of thin-layer, spectroelectrochemical, and GLC-MS techniques,407 supported the sequence of the reaction steps shown in Eq, (137). 

Scheme 60), e.g., tetrakis-TES-uric acid 404) gives tetramethyl uric acid 405) by means of methyl iodide. 

On the other hand, drugs may inhibit the metabolism of other drugs. For example, allopurinol (a xanthine oxidase inhibitor that inhibits the synthesis of uric acid) increases the effectiveness of anticoagulants by inhibiting their metabolism. Chloramphenicol (a potent inhibitor of microsomal protein synthesis) and cimetidine (an H2-receptor blocker used in acid-pepsin disease) have similar properties. In addition, drugs may compete with each other in metabolic reactions. In methyl alcohol (methanol) poisoning, ethyl alcohol may be given intravenously to avert methanol-induced blindness and minimize the severe acidosis. Ethyl alcohol competes with methyl alcohol for... 

N8. Niki, S., Saito, M., Yoshikawa, Y., Yamamoto, Y., and Kamiya, Y., Oxidation of lipids. XII. Inhibition of oxidation of soybean phosphatidylcholine and methyl linoleate in aqueous dispersions by uric acid. Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 59, 471-477 (1986). 

---