Synthesis of 3-(Tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-5-fluorouracil

Abstract

Synthesis of 3-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-5-fluorouracil (3-Thf-FU) (III), which has been found to be a metabolic intermediate of 1, 3-bis (tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-5-fluorouracil (Thf₂-FU) and an effective antitumor agent, is reported. 1-Alkane- or 1-arene-sulfonyl-5-fluorouracil (I) was trimethylsilylated by treatment with N, O-bis (trimethylsilyl) acetamide and treated with 2-acetoxytetrahydrofuran in the presence of stannic chloride to give 1-alkane- or 1-arene-sulfonyl-3-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-5-fluorouracil (II). III was obtained by deblocking of II with methanolic ammonia.