Nucleophile-mediated ring expansion of 4-chloromethyl- and 4-mesyloxymethyl-5-tosyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ones to 6-tosyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,3-diazepin-2-ones: effect of the leaving group and the substituent at C6

A five-step synthesis of 4-chloromethyl- and 4-mesyloxymethyl-5-tosyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ones has been developed. The reaction of N-[(2-benzoyloxy-1-tosyl)ethyl]urea with sodium enolates of alpha-tosylketones followed by cyclization-dehydration, and debenzoylation gave 4-hydroxymethyl-5-tosyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ones, which were transformed into the 4-chloromethyl- or 4-mesyloxymethyl-derivatives. Treatment of the latter with nucleophilic reagents, such as sodium cyanide, sodium diethyl malonate, sodium thiophenolate, or potassium phthalimide, afforded the corresponding 4,7-disubstituted 6-tosyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,3-diazepin-2-ones as a result of ring expansion. The effect of the leaving group and the substitution at the position C6 on the reactivity of the pyrimidines is discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.