Hetaryl‐1,5 Benzodiazepines—Part I: Synthesis of 3‐pyrimidinyl‐ and Imidazolyl‐1,5‐benzodiazepines

Nucleophilic substitution of 3‐bromo‐4‐phenyl‐1 H ‐[1,5]benzodiazepin‐2‐one ( 1 ) with thiourea or guanidine in presence of potassium carbonate afforded 1,5‐benzodiazepin‐3‐ylimidothiocarbamate 2 or 1,5‐benzodiazepin‐3‐ylguanidine 3 , respectively. Pyrimidylthiobenzodiazepines 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 were obtained via the reaction of compound 2 with malononitrile dimer, diethyl malonate, methylenemalononitriles, or a mixture of an aldehyde and β‐keto esters or acetylacetone, catalyzed using ceric ammonium nitrate. Reaction of compound 2 or 3 with α‐halo esters, nitriles, and/or ketones afforded imidazoles 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , respectively.