A New Approach to the Synthesis of N , N ‐Dialkyladenine Derivatives

N , N‐ Dialkyladenine derivatives were prepared by two different reaction sequences starting from 5‐amino‐4‐cyanoformimidoylimidazoles. When these imidazoles were treated with dimethylformamide diethyl acetal, a 5‐aminomethyleneamino‐4‐cyanoformimidoylimidazole was isolated and evolved to the N , N‐ dialkyladenine in the presence of a secondary alkylamine. The same purine structure was isolated when the 5‐amino‐4‐cyanoformimidoylimidazole was first treated with a secondary amine to give a stable 4‐amidino‐5‐aminoimidazole. The desired product was generated when the 4‐amidino‐5‐aminoimidazole was combined with dimethylformamide diethyl acetal, at room temperature. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)