Synthesis of N-1-(Indanyloxymethyl) and N-1-(4-Hydroxybut-2-enyloxymethyl) Analogues of the HIV Drugs Emivirine and GCA-186

A series of Emivirine and GCA-186 analogues substituted at N-1 with indan-1-yloxymethyl (6a–6c) and indan-2-yloxymethyl (6d–6f) were synthesized by reaction of the corresponding bis(indanyloxy)methans with uracils having 5-ethyl or 5-isopropyl and 6-benzyl or 6-(3,5-dimethylbenzyl) substituents. A route to the corresponding N-1 substituted 4-hydroxybut-2-enyloxymethyl analogue was also devised. All newly synthesized compounds showed potent activity against wild-type HIV-1, the most active compound being 5-ethyl-1-(indan-1-yloxymethyl)-6-(3,5-dimethylbenzyl)uracil (6b), which was 50-fold more active than Emivirine.