Synthesis, reactions, and anti-inflammatory activity of heterocyclic systems fused to a thiophene moiety using citrazinic acid as synthon

A series of pyridines, pyrimidinones, and oxazinones were synthesized as anti-inflammatory agents using citrazinic acid (2,6-dihydroxyisonicotinic acid) as a starting material. Acryloyl pyridine was treated with cyanothioacetamide to give cyano pyridine-thione, which was reacted with ethyl chloroacetate to yield the corresponding amino ester. The ester was hydrolysed to the sodium salt, which was treated with acetic anhydride to afford 2-methyloxazinone, which was treated with ammonium acetate to afford 2-methylpyrimidinone followed by methylation with methyl iodide to yield 2,3-dimethylpyrimidinone. In addition, the oxazinone derivative was reacted with aniline or hydrazine hydrate to give 3-phenyl- or 3-aminopyrimidinones. The latter reacted with thiophene-2-carboxaldehyde or phenylisothiocyanate to afford Schiff's bases or thiosemicarbazides. 3-Aminopyrimidinone was treated with phthalic anhydride or 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride or toluene-3,5-diisocyanate to afford the corresponding imide, bis-imide, and bis-semicarbazide derivatives. The pharmacological screening showed that many of these compounds have good anti-inflammatory activity comparable to Prednisolone (R) as reference drug.