Water → 1-Acetyl-4-(4-nitrophenyl)piperazine

A solution of 1-fluoro-4-nitrobenzene (6.7 g, 47.5 mmol), 1-piperazin-1-yl-ethanone (6.7 g, 52.3 mmol) and K2CO3 (6.6 g, 47.5 mmol) in DMSO (60 mL) was heated at 100° C. for 18 h. After cooling, the mixture was poured into H2O (0.5 L). The resulting yellow precipitate was filtered and washed with H2O to afford of 1-[4-(4-nitro-phenyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-ethanone (11.9 g). This was partially dissolved in EtOH (100 mL) and AcOH (50 mL). The mixture was warmed to ca. 65° C. and iron powder (−325 mesh, 12.0 g, 215 mmol) was added in 1-g portions. The mixture was heated at reflux for 2 hr and filtered through a pad of Celite. The filtrate was evaporated to leave a black oil, which was basified by addition of 2 M aq NaOH and was extracted with EtOAc. The combined organics were washed with brine, dried on MgSO4, filtered, and evaporated in vacuo to afford 1-[4-(4-amino-phenyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-ethanone (6.7 g) as a yellow solid. An aliquot of this material (2.0 g, 9.12 mmol) was dissolved in EtOH (5 mL) and HNO3 was added (69% aq soln., 1.26 mL, 19.61 mmol), followed by cyanamide (50% w/v aq soln., 2.48 mL, 31.92 mmol). The resulting mixture was heated at reflux for 18 h. It was cooled to room temperature and poured into Et2O (100 mL). The ethereal layer was separated and concentrated. The resulting precipitate was filtered and washed with iPrOH/Et2O, then neat Et2O. The light brown solid was dried to afford N-[4-(4-acetyl-piperazin-1-yl)-phenyl]-guanidine nitrate (1.2 g). This material (1.1 g, 2.84 mmol) was dissolved in 2-methoxyethanol (14 mL) and K2CO3 (0.79 g, 5.68 mmol) was added, followed by 3-dimethylamino-1-(2,4-dimethyl-thiazol-5-yl)-propenone (0.60 g, 2.84 mmol). The resulting mixture was heated at 115° C. for 18 h. It was cooled and concentrated. The residue was purified by SiO2 chromatography (9:1 EtOAc/2 M NH3 in MeOH) and recrystallisation from iPr2O/MeOH to afford the title compound (930 mg) as a light brown solid. 1H-NMR (CDCl3) δ: 2.15 (s, 3H, CH3), 2.69 (s, 3H, CH3), 2.71 (s, 3H, CH3), 3.12 (t, 2H, J=5.4 Hz, CH2), 3.15 (t, 2H, J=5.4 Hz, CH2), 3.63 (t, 2H, J=5.4 Hz, CH2), 3.79 (t, 2H, J=5.4 Hz, CH2), 6.90 (d, 1H, J=5.4 Hz, pyrimidinyl-H), 6.96 (m, 2H, Ph-H), 6.98 (br. s, 1H, NH), 7.54 (m, 2H, Ph-H), 8.39 (d, 1H, J=5.4 Hz, pyrimidinyl-H). MS (ESI+) m/z 409.6 (C21H24N6OS requires 408.5).