An Unprecedented Approach to 4,5-Disubstituted Pyrimidine Derivatives by a ZnCl2-Catalyzed Three-Component Coupling Reaction

We have developed a ZnCl2-catatyzed three-component coupling reaction involving a variety of functionalized enamines, triethyl orthoformate, and ammonium acetate, which leads to the production of 4,5-disubstituted pyrimidine derivatives in a single step. The procedure can be successfully applied to the efficient synthesis of mono- and disubstituted pydmidine derivatives, using methyl ketone derivatives instead of enamines.