| Abstract: | The Synthesis of 4-Halogen-substituted Analogs of Trimethoprim The four 2,4-diamino-5-(4-halo-3,5-dimethoxybenzyl)pyrimidines 20a-d have been synthesized along known routes, i.e. form the corresponding aldehydes 17a-d via the aminomethylidene-derivatives 18a-d and 19a-d , respectively (Scheme 4). All four aldehydes were prepared from a common intermediate, methyl 4-amino-3,5-dimethoxybenzoate ( 3 ), which was obtained from dimethyl 2,6-dimethoxyterephthalate ( 2 ) and hydroxylamine in a regioselective Lossen-type rearrangement mediated by polyphosphoric acid (Scheme 1). Under identical rearrangement conditions 2,6-diethoxyterephthalate ( 12 ) led, in addition to the amine 14 , to the benzoxazolone 15 (Scheme 2). Scope and mechanism of this reaction are discussed. - The antimicrobial activity of the diamino-pyrimidines 20a-d , expressed as the inhibition of E. coli-dihydrofolate reductase, has been measured and compared with that of trimethoprim ( 1 ), an established antimicrobial agent. |
