2-Phenyl-5,6-dihydroxypyrimidine-4-carboxylic acids were discovered as specific inhibitors of the NS5B polymerase of the Hepatitis C Virus. In-depth structure-activity investigations at the ortho and meta positions of the phenyl ring were undertaken, and compounds with greatly improved activity over the original lead have been discovered.The hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents the chief etiological agent in non-A and non-B hepatitis, a disease that causes liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [1,2] and affects more than 170 million people worldwide [3]. Although the introduction of a combination therapy, pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin, has markedly improved clinical outcomes, less than 50% of infected individuals can be expected to have a favorable response to this treatment [4], and furthermore, severe side effects often limit compliance to the therapy. The most studied targets against this disease are NS3 protease and NS5B polymerase. The HCV NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is a central enzyme in the replication of the virus. Recently it has been reported that the anti HCV NS5B polymerase activity of a few benzo-1,2,4-thiadiazine analogs was responsible for the inhibition of the full-length enzyme in the context of the replicase complex expressed in HCV replicon cells [5]. A polymerase inhibitor from Japan Tobacco Inc. (JTK-003) is also reported to be in Phase II clinical trials [6].polymerase based on a dihydroxypyrimidine scaffold 1 (Fig. 1), IC 50 = 30µM) which bears a phenyl ring and a carboxylic acid at the 2 and 4-positions of the pyrimidine ring respectively.This class of compounds is thought to mimic pyrophosphate isosteres such as Foscarnet (3) and is considered a class of product-like inhibitors of the NS5B enzyme [9].Previous SAR [8] had shown that the carboxylic acid as well as the hydroxyl group moieties were essential for polymerase inhibition. Thus, the methyl ester or methyl ethers in the 5 and 6 positions of the pyrimidine core rendered the compounds inactive against NS5B polymerase. The aromatic ring was shown to be necessary for activity, and substitution at the meta position seemed to be well tolerated (Fig. (1), compound 2, IC 50 = 15 µM). Taking these findings into consideration, a systematic study of SAR at the meta position of the phenyl ring with amides, ureas and carbamates [10] was undertaken, together with an exploratory study of the ortho position. The NS5B polymerase is thought to mediate viral RNA synthesis through two Mg ++ ions, which serve the dual role of positioning/stabilizing the pyrophosphate leaving group and activating the 3'-OH of the elongating RNA toward nucleophilic attack [7].
SYNTHESIS [11]The synthesis of the dihydroxypyrimidine scaffold had been previously reported by Culbertson [12], albeit as an unexpected product in the synthesis of other heterocyclic systems. Culbertson's approach was followed and the ureas described in Tables (1) and (2) were prepared following Scheme (1), where the representative synthesis of compound 34 is shown. N N OH OH O...