Efficient assembly of 2,5,6-substituted pyrimidines via MgI(2)-mediated Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction.

A mild and efficient protocol for the synthesis of a 2,6-disubstituted pyrimidine-5-carboxylate library via a Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) adduct is described. Herein, the three step methodology involves the use of substituted alpha-iodomethylene beta-keto ester intermediates obtained after oxidation of the MBH adducts, which are condensed with various types of amidine or guanidine derivatives, to generate the 2, 6-disubstituted pyrimidines-5-carboxylate libraries.