# US 4,391,977 A · Adenine production

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- Number: US 4,391,977 A
- Document ID: US4391977A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/331,036
- Filed: 1981-12-16
- Granted: 1983-07-05
- Earliest claimed: 1981-12-16
- Assignees: Ethyl Corporation
- Inventors: Kju H. Shin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4391977A

## CPC

- C07D 473/34: attached in position 6, e.g. adenine
- C07D: HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS (macromolecular compounds C08)

## Abstract

Adenine is produced by reacting hydrogen cyanide with formamide in the presence of an ammonium salt and a catalytic amount of methyldisulfide at elevated temperature and pressure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for producing adenine which comprises reacting hydrogen cyanide with formamide in the presence of an ammonium salt and a catalytic amount of methyldisulfide at elevated temperature and pressure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein said reaction is carried out at a temperature in the range of from about 60.degree. C. to about 180.degree. and at a pressure of 100 psi or less.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein the amount of formamide present is from about 2 to 20 moles of formamide per mole of hydrogen cyanide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein said ammonium salt is selected from ammonium acetate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium iodide, ammonium chloride, ammonium carbonate, ammonium propionate, ammonium benzoate and ammonium nitrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein the amount of ammonium salt present is from about 0.5 to about 3 moles of ammonium salt per mole of hydrogen cyanide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein said ammonium salt is generated in situ from gaseous ammonia and the corresponding inorganic or organic acid.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein said methyldisulfide is present in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 4 moles of methyldisulfide per mole of hydrogen cyanide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein phosphorous pentoxide is additionally present in the reaction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A process according to claim 8, wherein the amount of phosphorous pentoxide present is from about 4 to 10 moles of methyldisulfide per mole of phosphorous pentoxide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein one molar proportion of hydrogen cyanide is reacted with about 2-20 molar proportions of formamide in the presence of about 0.5-3 molar proportions of an ammonium salt and about 0.5-4 molar proportions of methyldisulfide at a temperature in the range of about 60.degree.-180.degree. C. and a pressure sufficient to maintain the reactants at least partially in the liquid state but not greater than about 100 psi.