posted on 2001-05-23, 00:00authored byJason W. B. Cooke, Robert Bright, Mark J. Coleman, Kevin P. Jenkins
Eniluracil (5-ethynyluracil) is a potent inactivator of the enzyme
dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, which is the rate-limiting
enzyme in the metabolism of 5-fluorouracil, a widely used anti-cancer drug. The process research and development of a three-stage route to eniluracil is described. A Sonogashira coupling
between 5-iodouracil and trimethylsilylacetylene was used to
synthesise 5-(2-trimethylsilylethynyl)uracil on a >60 kg scale.
Sodium hydroxide deprotection and acidification with acetic
acid completed the synthesis of eniluracil in high yield and
quality. The optimisation of this process is described with
particular attention paid to minimising the input of palladium
and copper catalysts and ensuring that the copper catalyst is
well suspended in the reaction mixture.