Reactivity of tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines in click chemistry and hydrogenation

Abstract

Herein, we explore the synthetic potential of tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines to obtain new pyrimidine derivatives by click chemistry and hydrogenation. Click chemistry reactions of the trifluoromethyltetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines with terminal acetylenes produced unprecedented trifluoromethylated triazolylpyrimidines in excellent yields (84-98 %) in which one of them was active against all tested microorganisms, presenting moderate MIC values (62.5-15.62 mg/ml). Hydrogenation was carried out using Pd/C-H2 in MeOH under conventional, photochemical, and pressure (5 bar) conditions. The hydrogenation was an excellent method to obtain 2-amino-6-aryl-4-trifluoromethyl pyrimidines and/or 2-amino-6-aryl-4-trifluoro methyltetrahydro pyrimidines with a preference for 2-aminopyrimidine formation. The photochemical hydrogenation was the fastest and only pathway to reduce aryl-brominated substrate for the product without dehalogenation. Trifluoromethyl-substituted tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines reacted to 2-amino-6-aryl-4-trifluoromethyl pyrimidine formation in preference to the formation of the corresponding tethaydropyrimidines. However, the hydrogenation of non-trifluoromethylated tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines showed a preference for tetrahydropyrimidine formation.