Preparation of 2-alkylthiomethyl-4-hydroxypyrimidines

Abstract

A process for preparing 2-alkylthiomethyl-4-hydroxypyrimidines, known to be useful as intermediates in making insecticides, of the formula ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 is alkyl, R.sup.2 is hydrogen or alkyl, and R.sup.3 is hydrogen, alkyl or alkoxy, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 together represent a divalent alkylene radical, comprising reacting a sulphonyloxyacetonitrile of the formula R--SO.sub.2 --O--CH.sub.2 --CN (II) in which R is alkyl, halogenoalkyl or optionally substituted aryl, with methanol or ethanol, reacting the reaction mixture formed with ammonium chloride, reacting the reaction mixture formed with an alkali metal thiolate of the formula R.sup.1 --S.sup..crclbar. Me.sup..sym. (III) in which Me.sup.+ is an alkali metal cation, and, in the presence of a base, with a .beta.-ketocarboxylic acid ester of the formula ##STR2## at a temperature between about -20.degree. and +100.degree. C.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.