Reaction of 3-acetonyl-5-cyano-1,2,4-thiadiazole with phenylhydrazine hydrochlorides: indolization and phenylpyrazolation

Treatment of 3-acetonyl-5-cyano-1,2,4-thiadiazole (1) with 4-methyl or 4-methoxyphenylhydrazine hydrochloride provided 5-cyano-3-(2,5-dimethylindol-3-yl)-1,2,4-thiadiazole (2) or 5-cyano-3-(5-methoxy-2-methylindol-3-yl)-1,2,4-thiadiazole (3) as the sole product, respectively. In contrast, treatment of 1 with phenylhydrazine hydrochloride resulted in the formation of 5-cyano-3-(2-methylindol-3-yl)-1,2,4-thiadiazole (4) and the unexpected 5-cyano-3-(3,5-dimethyl-1-phenylpyrazol-4-yl)-1,2,4-thiadiazole (5). In a similar manner, when 1 was treated with 4-chlorophenylhydrazine hydrochloride, indolization was suppressed by phenylpyrazolation giving rise to 5-cyano-3-(5-chloro-2-methylindol-3-yl)-1,2,4-thiadiazole (6) and 5-cyano-3-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3,5-dimethylpyrazol-4-yl]-1,2,4-thia diazole (7). The reaction mechanism is discussed. Compounds 4, 5 and 6 exhibited weak antimicrobial activity against Helicobacter pylori.