Nucleophile-mediated ring expansion of 4-chloromethyl- and 4-mesyloxymethyl-5-tosyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ones to 6-tosyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,3-diazepin-2-ones: effect of the leaving group and the substituent at C6

A five-step synthesis of 4-chloromethyl- and 4-mesyloxymethyl-5-tosyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ones has been developed. The reaction of N-[(2-benzoyloxy-1-tosyl)ethyl]urea with sodium enolates of α-tosylketones followed by cyclization–dehydration, and debenzoylation gave 4-hydroxymethyl-5-tosyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ones, which were transformed into the 4-chloromethyl- or 4-mesyloxymethyl-derivatives. Treatment of the latter with nucleophilic reagents, such as sodium cyanide, sodium diethyl malonate, sodium thiophenolate, or potassium phthalimide, afforded the corresponding 4,7-disubstituted 6-tosyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,3-diazepin-2-ones as a result of ring expansion. The effect of the leaving group and the substitution at the position C6 on the reactivity of the pyrimidines is discussed.