Synthesis of 2-sulfanyl-6-methyl-1,4-dihydropyrimidines as a new class of antifilarial agents

Abstract

A series of 2-sulfanyl-6-methyl-1,4-dihydropyrimidines (8-21) were synthesized in good yields by alkylation of 5-methyl-6-phenyl-2-thioxo-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyrimidine-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (2-7) with different alkyl or aralkyl halides in presence of a combination of anhydrous K2CO3 and catalytic amount of tetrabutyl ammonium bromide. The title compounds were evaluated for their antifilarial activity against adult parasites of human lymphatic filarial parasite Brugia malayi (sub-periodic strain) in vitro and in vivo at various concentrations. One of the compounds (18) showed promising antifilarial activity.