Ring transformation of 5-amino (or acylamino)-6-hydroxy (or benzoyloxy)methylpyrimidin-4(3H)-ones into 1H-imidazoles

Treatment of 5-acylamino-6-hydroxy (or benzoyloxy)methyl-3-phenylpyrimidin-4(3H)-one 5,10 with 5% aqueous sodium hydroxide in ethanol gave 2-alkyl-5-hydroxymethyl-4-phenylcarbamoyl-1H-imidazoles 7,11 . Oxidation of 5-amino-6-benzoyloxymethyl-3-phenylpyrimidin-4(3H)-one 9 in the presence of copper( II ) chloride in alcohol gave 2-alkoxy-5-alkoxymethyl-4-phenylcarbamoyl-1H-imidazoles 12a,b accompanied by 5-amino-6-alkoxymethyl-3-phenylpyrimidin-4(3H)-ones 13a,b.