A Novel Ring Expansion of Pyrimidines to 1,2,4-Triazepines

A base-promoted ring expansion of 3-amino-4-hydroxyhexahydropyrimidine-2-thiones into 2,4,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-1,2,4-triazepine-3-thiones has been developed. Experimental data and DFT calculations showed that the reaction proceeded through fast formation of intermediate acyclic isomers of pyrimidines followed by their slow cyclization into triazepines. The starting hydroxypyrimidines were prepared by reaction of α,β-unsaturated ketones or β-alkoxy ketones with HNCS followed by treatment of the obtained β-isothiocyanato ketones with hydrazine.