5-Fluorouracil → 1-(Pyridine-3-carbonyloxymethyl)-5-fluorouracil

Participants

Reaction Steps

5-FU (1.31 g, 0.01 mol) was dissolved in 5 mL of dimethylacetamide and treated with triethylamine (2.78 mL, 0.02 mol). Chloromethyl nicotinate (2.95 g, 0.012 mol) in 5 mL of dimethylacetamide was added in one portion, and the mixture was stirred for 24 hours, filtered, washed with ethyl acetate and evaporated. The residue was chromatographed on a column of silica gel, using as eluent first benzene, then 3:1 benzene/chloroform, then 1:1 benzene/chloroform, then 3:1 chloroform/benzene, then chloroform and finally 99:1 chloroform/methanol. Unreacted nicotinate was eluted initially, followed by the 1,3-bis-isomer and finally the 1-isomer. The 1-isomer (1.3 g, 50%) melted at 190°-192° C. and had the formula ##STR159## as confirmed by NMR analysis.

Provenance & Evidence