The dramatic effect of thiophenol on the reaction pathway of ethyl 4-chloromethyl-6-methyl-2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate with thiophenolates: ring expansion versus nucleophilic substitution

Ethyl 4-methyl-2-oxo-7-phenylthio-2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-1,3-diazepine-5-carboxylate and/or ethyl 6-methyl-2-oxo-4-(phenylthiomethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate were obtained in the reaction of ethyl 4-chloromethyl-6-methyl-2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate with PhSNa or PhSK with or without PhSH, depending on the reagent ratio, reaction time, or temperature, as a result of ring expansion and/or nucleophilic substitution. The reaction pathway was affected strongly by the basicity–nucleophilicity of the reaction media. The results obtained were confirmed by reactions of 4-mesyloxymethyl-6-methyl-5-tosyltetrahydropyrimidin-2-one with PhSNa/PhSH and ethyl 4-chloromethyl-6-methyl-2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate with NaCN/HCN or NaCH(COOEt)2/CH2(COOEt)2.