The synthesis of certain 8-cyano-2,4-disubstituted-imidazo[1,5-a] pyrimidines

A number of imidazo1,5-a]pyrimidine-8-carboxamides were synthesized by reacting various β-dicarbonyl compounds with 5(4)-aminoimidazole-4(5)carboxamide (AICA, 1 ), the non-ribosylated form of AICAR, a key intermediate in the metabolic pathway of purine biosynthesis. Cyclization of 1 with ethylacetoacetate yielded 2-methylimidazo1,5-a]pyrimidin-1H-4-one-8-carboxamide ( 2 ). The treatment of 2 with phosphorus oxychloride gave 4-chloro-8-cyano-2-methylimidazo1,5-a]pyrimidine ( 3 ). Various nucleophiles displaced the 4-chloro substituent of 3 under mild conditions. However, the 4-methylthio group of 8-cyano-2-methyl-4-methylthioimidazo1,5-a)pyrimidine ( 8a ) was also displaced under very mild conditions. Even more strangely, the 4-diethylamino group of 8-cyano-4-diethylamino-2-methylimidazo1,5-a]pyrimidine ( 5a ) was displaced by ammonia to give 4-amino-8-cyano-2-methylimidazo1,5-a]pyrimidine ( 7 ).