Adamantylaminopyrimidines and -pyridines are potent inducers of tumor necrosis factor-α

A series of (1-adamantyl)aminopyrimidine and -pyridine derivatives was prepared by adamantyl cation attack on amino heterocycles. The adamantylated compounds, particularly 2-(1-adamantyl)amino-6-methylpyridine, were found to be potent TNF-α inducers in murine melanoma cells transduced with gene for human TNF-α.