Reaction of 4,5-diaminopyrimidine and ethyl acetoacetate: Synthesis and chemistry of isomeric dihydropyrimido[4,5-b][1,4] diazepinones

Depending upon reaction conditions, 4,5-diaminopyrimidine and acetoacetic ester gave a variety of condensation products, including the two isomeric dihydropyrimido4,5-b]1,4]-diazepinones. Under conditions leading to bicyclic products, the formation of 1,5-dihydro-4-methyl-2H-pyrimido4,5-b]1,4]diazepin-2-one ( 2 ) was strongly favored. The isomeric 3,5-dihydro-2-methyl-4H-4-one compound ( 4 ) was best obtained by cyclization of ethyl 3-(4-amino-5-pyrimidylamino)crotonate ( 3 ) under base catalysis. Thermal rearrangement of 2 and 4 proceeded, in each instance, with loss of the isopropenyl moiety and gave 8-purinone. Compound 4 underwent ring contraction under the influence of alkoxide to yield a product which was shown to be the 7-isopropenyl-8-purinone ( 6 ).