Thymine → 2-(5-Methyl-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-1-yl)acetic acid

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Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

This procedure is different from the literature synthesis, but is easier, gives higher yields, and leaves no unreacted thymine in the product. To a suspension of thymine (40.0 g; 0.317 mol) and potassium carbonate (87.7 g; 0.634 mmol) in DMF (900 ml) was added methyl bromoacetate (30.00 ml; 0.317 mmol). The mixture was stirred vigorously overnight under nitrogen. The mixture was filtered and evaporated to dryness, in vacuo. The solid residue was treated with water (300 ml) and 4 N hydrochloric acid (12 ml), stirred for 15 min at 0° C., filtered, and washed with water (2×75 ml). The precipitate was treated with water (120 ml) and 2N sodium hydroxide (60 ml), and was boiled for 10 minutes. The mixture was cooled to 0° C., filtered, and the pure title compound was precipitated by the addition of 4 N hydrochloric acid (70 ml). Yield after drying, in vacuo over sicapent: 37.1 g (64%). 1H-NMR: (90 MHz; DMSO-d6) 11.33 ppm (s, 1H, NH); 7.49 (d, J=0.92 Hz, 1H, ArH); 4.38 (s, 2H, CH2); 1.76 (d, J=0.92 Hz, T—CH3)

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