Electrochemical reduction of imidazolecarboxylic esters
AssigneeSmithKline Corporation
InventorWilford Lee Mendelson
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Abstract
Lower alkyl 4-imidazolecarboxylates are electro-chemically reduced to give the corresponding alcohol and lower alkyl ethers. This mixture is reacted directly with cysteamine to give the important thioamine intermediates.
Claims10
The method for preparing a mixture of a 4-(hydroxymethyl)-imidazole and a 4-(lower-alkyloxymethyl)-imidazole which comprises electrochemically reducing in a divided cell a lower alkyl 4-imidazolecarboxylate in 25% sulfuric acid with a mercury or lead cathode at about 40.degree.-75.degree. C. in a concentration chosen from within the range of from 1 M. up to the upper limit of solubility.
The method of preparing 4-(2-aminoethylthiomethyl)-5-methylimidazole comprising electrochemical reduction in a divided cell of a lower alkyl 5-methyl-4-imidazolecarboxylate in 25% sulfuric acid with a mercury or lead cathode at about 40.degree.-75.degree. C. in a concentration chosen from within the range of from 1 M. up to the upper limit of solubility to give a mixture of 5-methyl-4-hydroxymethylimidazole and 5-methyl-4-lower-alkyloxymethylimidazole then reacting said mixture with cysteamine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.