Synthesis of substituted 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones and pyrimidin-2(1H)-ones by the Biginelli reaction with 3,5-Di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde

Three-component acid-catalyzed cyclocondensation of 3,5-di-tret-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde with urea and ethyl acetoacetate or alpha-nitroacetophenone (Biginelli reaction) under homogeneous conditions gave the corresponding 5-substituted 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones having in position 4 of the heteroring an aryl substituent with sterically shielded hydroxy group. The condensation catalyzed by inorganic salts (Fe3+, Co2+, Zn2+, Li+) was successful only with ethyl acetoacetate as initial methylene-active component. Under analogous conditions, acetophenone and 4-fluoroacetophenone gave rise to 4,6-diarylpyrimidin-2(1H)-ones which are capable of undergoing phenol-quinonemethide tautomerism.