Reaction of 3-aminoquinoline-2,4-diones with nitrourea.: Synthetic route to novel 3-ureidoquinoline-2,4-diones and imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline-2,4-diones

1-Unsubstituted 3-alkyl/aryl-3-amino-1H,3H-quinoline-2,4-diones react with 1-substituted and 1, 1-disubstituted ureas in boiling acetic acid to give 2,6-dihydro-imidazo[1,5-c]quinazoline-3,5-diones. In contrast, the reaction of these amines with nitrourea in dioxane affords novel 3-alkyl/aryl-3-ureido-1H,3H-quinoline-2,4-diones or 9b-hydroxy-3a-alky/aryl-3,3a,5,9b-tetrahydro-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline-2,4-diones, which can smoothly be dehydrated to 3a-alkyl/aryl-3,3a-dihydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline-2,4-diones. All three types of products can be converted to 2,6-dihydro-imidazo[1,5-c]quinazoline-3,5-diones by refluxing in acetic acid. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.