Synthesis and antiinflammatory activity of 4-amino-2-aryl-5-cyano-6-{3- and 4-(N-phthalimidophenyl)} pyrimidines 1

Six new 4-amino-5-cyano-2,6-diarylpyrimidines 5a–h has been synthesized in a facile manner by reacting the appropriate arylamidines 4a–d with bisnitriles 3a–e. Reduction of the nitro group of 5a–e using Pd in ethyl acetate furnished 6a–e in good yields. Reaction of 6a–e individually with phthalic anhydride yielded 7a–e in good to excellent yields. The newly synthesized heterocycles were characterized by IR, 1H-NMR and mass spectral data. Compounds 5f–h and 7a–e were also evaluated against inflammation. Pyrimidines 5g, h exhibited better antiinflammatory activity when compared with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). Phthalimide derivatives 7a–e also presented antiinflammatory activity, and three of them, viz., 7a–c have been found to be twice more active than aspirin. Cytotoxical evaluations of compounds 7a–e using neoplastic cells (NCI-H292 and Hep-2) presented 41% of growth inhibition of neoplastic cells NCI-H292.