Synthesis of 4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-ones and their isatin-3-imine derivatives

Article abstract of DOI:10.3390/10020376

Iminoester hydrochlorides 1 have been synthesized. These compounds were then converted into ester ethoxycarbonyl hydrazones 2, from which in turn a new series of substituted 4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-ones, 3, was then prepared. Finally a set

Full text of DOI:10.3390/10020376

Molecules 2005, 10, 376-382
molecules
ISSN 1420-3049
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Synthesis of 4-Amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-ones and
their Isatin-3-imine Derivatives
Bahittin Kahveci
Department of Chemistry, Rize Faculty of Arts and Science, Karadeniz Technical University, 53100,
Rize, Turkey.
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; e-mail: bahittin@yahoo.com
Received: 12 July 2004 / Accepted: 1 September 2004 / Published: 28 February 2005
Abstract: Iminoester hydrochlorides 1 have been synthesized. These compounds were
then converted into ester ethoxycarbonyl hydrazones 2, from which in turn a new series
of substituted 4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-ones, 3, was then prepared.
Finally a set of isatin imine derivatives 4 was obtained from the reaction of compounds 3
with isatin. The structures of all the new synthesized compounds were confirmed by
elemental analyses, IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectra.
Keywords: Iminoesters; ethoxycarbonyl hydrazones; 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-ones;
isatin
Introduction
The synthesis and antibacterial activity of some 4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazoles and their
derivatives have been reported in the literature [1-5]. A number of studies involving the antibacterial
and antitumor activity of some 4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-ones and their derivatives
have also been published recently [6-14]. There are also many studies on isatin (1H-indole-2,3-dione)
in the literature. The synthetic versatility of isatin has led to the extensive use of this compound in
organic synthesis. This has stemmed in great part from the interest in the biological and
pharmaceutical properties of its derivatives [15-24]. Although reactions of isatin with many amino
compounds have been investigated, it appears that its reaction with the N-aminotriazole-5-ones have
not been studied before. Consequently, some new 4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-ones have
now been synthesized and their reactions with isatin investigated.

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Results and Discussion
The new derivatives were prepared following the reaction sequences depicted in Scheme 1.
Iminoester starting materials 1a-d were prepared by passing HCl gas through solutions of 2-chloro-
benzyl cyanide, 3-chlorobenzyl cyanide, 2-methylbenzyl cyanide or 3-methylbenzyl cyanide and
absolute ethanol, followed by precipitation with ether.
Scheme 1
R
C
OEt
1
NNHCO2C2H5
+
H2NNHCO2C2H5
NH.HCl
R
C
+
+
EtOH HCl(g)
RCN
NH Cl
-
4
OC2H5
2
+
_
H2NNH2.H2O
1-4
a
R
2
C2H5OH
Cl
N
NH
CH2
R
Cl
N
O
b
NH2
CH2
3
H
N
H3C
CH2
O
+
c
O
_ H2O
CH3
d
CH2
N
NH
O
R
N
N
O
N
H
4
+
In the IR spectra of compounds 1a-d the characteristic NH2 absorption bands appeared at 2980,
2920 and 810 cm-1 and the C=N band at 1640 cm-1, approximately. Reaction of the iminoesters with
ethyl carbazate yielded the ethoxycarbonyl hydrazones 2a-d. The IR spectra of these compounds show
the C=O band at 1740 cm-1 and the C=N band at 1600 cm-1, approximately. The obtained compounds
2a-d were then refluxed with a solution of hydrazine hydrate in water to afford the compounds 3a-d.
The NH2, C=O and C=N bands observed in the IR spectra of the latter compounds match the peaks
expected for these structures. In addition to this, observation of NH2, NH and aromatic protons, as well
as the disappearance of CH2CH3 signals in the 1H-NMR spectra and the triazole C5 peak at near δ 154
ppm and the triazole C3 peak at near δ147 ppm in the 13C-NMR spectra all support this conclusion.
Finally, in the reaction of compounds 3a-d with isatin we obtained the expected isatin-3-imines 4. The

Molecules 2005, 10
378
structures of the isatin-3-imines were verified by the presence in the IR spectra of two different C=O
absorbtion bands at around 1700 cm-1 and C=N bands near 1690 cm-1. In addition to this, the
appearance of signals corresponding to two different NH protons and the disappearance of the NH2
protons in the 1H-NMR spectra support the proposed structures. The 13C-NMR spectra also support the
expected structures.
Conclusions
New compounds 3a-d, which can be used to prepare many new compounds, have been
synthesized. Some of the new derivatives might be important biologically active agents. The
compounds 4a-d are also potential biologically active agents and their medical research applications
should be investigated.
Experimental
General
Melting points were determined in open capillary tubes on a Büchi oil heated melting point
apparatus and are uncorrected. The IR spectra were recorded for KBr pellets on Perkin-Elmer 1600
FTIR spectrophotometer. 1H-NMR and 13C-MR spectra were recorded on a Varian 200A spectrometer
(solvent DMSO-d6, TMS as internal standard). Elemental analyses were performed on a Carlo Erba
1106 CHN analyzer. Starting materials were obtained from Fluka or Aldrich.
Synthesis of Iminoester Hydrochlorides 1a-d.
These were synthesized using the reported method [25]. To an ice-cooled solution of the
appropriate nitrile (1 mole) in absolute alcohol (1.1 moles), dry hydrogen chloride was added until 1.1
moles had been absorbed. The resulting solution was then allowed to stand at 0 ºC in the refrigerator
for 12 hours, after which cold absolute ether was added and the obtained crystals were filtered off
immediately, washed with cold absolute ether and dried in a dessicator. The following compounds
were thus prepared:
Ethyl imido-o-chlorophenylacetate hydrochloride (1a): m.p. 95-96 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 2982, 2878, 812
+
(NH2 ), 1624 (C=N), 753 (1,2-disubstituted benzene ring).
Ethyl imido-m-chlorophenylacetate hydrochloride (1b): m.p. 82-84 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 2989, 2939, 823
+
(NH2 ), 1649 (C=N), 868, 791, 684 (1,3-disubstituted benzene ring).
Ethyl imido-o-methylphenylacetate hydrochloride (1c): m.p. 80-81 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 2981, 2928, 823
+
(NH2 ), 1648 (C=N), 747 (1,2-disubstituted benzene ring).
Ethyl imido-m-methylphenylacetate hydrochloride (1d): m.p. 113-114 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 2994, 2862,
+
811 (NH2 ), 1653 (C=N), 867, 768, 714 (1,3-disubstituted benzene ring).

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379
General Procedure for Preparation of Ethyl Substituted Formate Ethoxycarbonyl hydrazones 2a-d.
In a stoppered flask equipped with a magnetic stirrer, the corresponding ethyl imidocarboxylate
hydrochloride (1a-d, 0.01 mol) was dissolved in absolute ethanol (50 mL) with ice-bath cooling and
ethyl carbazate (0.01 mol) dissolved in absolute ethanol (20 mL) was then added to this solution. After
stirring for 6 hr in ice-bath, the mixture was filtered to remove the ammonium chloride which
separated from the solution and the filtrate was evaporated at 30-35ºC under reduced pressure. The
solid residue, after drying in a dessicator, was recrystallized from petroleum ether to yield compounds
2a-d.
Ethyl o-chlorophenylacetate ethoxycarbonyl hydrazone (2a): Prepared from 1a, yield 78%; m.p. 54-55
1
ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 3274 (N-H), 1721 (C=O), 1648 (C=N), 751 (1,2-disubstituted benzene ring); H-
NMR, δ (ppm): 1.18 (t, 3H, CH3), 1.28 (t, 3H, CH3), 3.71 (s, 2H, CH2), 3.96 (q, 2H, CH2), 4.24 (q, 2H,
CH2), 6.58-7.24 (m, 4H, Ar-H), 8.18 (s, 1H, NH); Calcd. (%) for C13H17N2O3Cl (285): C, 54.78; H,
6.02; N, 9.84; found (%): C, 54.92; H, 6.01, N, 10.00.
Ethyl m-chlorophenylacetate ethoxycarbonyl hydrazone (2b): Prepared from 1b, 74%; m.p. 47-48 ºC;
IR ῡ (cm-1): 3247 (N-H), 1709 (C=O), 1648 (C=N), 863, 770, 683 (1,3-disubstituted benzene ring);
1H-NMR, δ (ppm): 1.19 (t, 3H, CH3), 1.24 (t, 3H, CH3), 3.64 (s, 2H, CH2), 3.91(q, 2H, CH2), 4.11 (q,
2H, CH2), 6.80-7.11 (m, 4H, Ar-H), 8.23 (s, 1H, NH); Calcd. (%) for C13H17N2O3Cl (285): C, 54.78;
H, 6.02; N, 9.84; found (%): C, 54.48; H, 6.18, N, 10.27.
Ethyl o-methylphenylacetate ethoxycarbonyl hydrazone (2c): Prepared from 1c, yield 80%; m.p. 66-67
-1
1
ºC; IR ῡ (cm ): 3207 (N-H), 1702 (C=O), 1657 (C=N), 747 (1,2-disubstituted benzene ring); H-NMR,
δ (ppm): 1.20 (t, 3H, CH3), 1.32 (t, 3H, CH3), 2.30 (s, 3H, CH3), 3.64 (s, 2H, CH2), 4.00 (q, 2H, CH2),
4.24 (q, 2H, CH2), 6.96-7.30 (m, 4H, Ar-H); Calcd. (%) for C14H20N2O3 (264): C, 63.56; H, 7.63; N,
10.60; found (%): C, 63.68; H, 7.89, N, 10.86.
Ethyl m-methylphenylacetate ethoxycarbonyl hydrazone (2d): Prepared from 1d, yield 86%; m.p. 59-
60 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 3257 (N-H), 1710 (C=O), 1648 (C=N), 873, 755, 694 (1,3-disubstituted benzene
1
ring); H-NMR, δ (ppm): 1.21 (t, 3H, CH3), 1.28 (t, 3H, CH3), 2.28 (s, 3H, CH3), 3.60 (s, 2H, CH2),
4.08 (q, 2H, CH2), 4.20 (q, 2H, CH2), 6.96-7.54 (m, 4H, Ar-H), 8.46 (s, 1H, NH); Calcd. (%) for
C14H20N2O3 (264): C, 63.56; H, 7.63; N, 10.60; found (%): C, 63.65; H, 7.89, N, 10.58.
General Procedure for the Preparation of 3-Substituted-4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-
ones 3a-d.
Compound 2 (0.01 mol) was refluxed for 5 hr with a solution of hydrazine hydrate (1.25 mL) in
water (60 mL). The solution was crystallized by cooling to obtain the crude product (3a-d). The solid
material thus obtained was filtered off and recrystallized from ethanol.

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3-o-Chlorobenzyl-4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (3a): Prepared from 2a, yield 88%;
m.p. 164-165 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 3338, 3217 (NH2, NH), 1720 (C=O), 1633 (C=N), 749 (1,2-disubstituted
1
benzene ring); H-NMR, δ (ppm): 4.10 (s, 2H, CH2), 5.28 (s, 2H, NH2), 7.25 (s, 4H, Ar-H), 11.90 (s,
1H, NH); 13C-NMR, δ (ppm): 28.80, 124.63, 126.84, 130.13, 132.86, 136.90, 138.63, 145.10, 153.14;.
Calcd. (%) for C9H9N4OCl (225): C, 48.08; H, 4.04; N, 24.94; found (%): C, 48.40; H, 4.54, N, 24.68.
3-m-Chlorobenzyl-4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (3b):Prepared from 2b, yield 83%;
m.p. 171-172 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 3324, 3224 (NH2, NH), 1730 (C=O), 1638 (C=N), 864, 793, 719 (1,3-
disubstituted benzene ring); 1H-NMR, δ (ppm): 4.00 (s, 2H, CH2), 5.18 (s, 2H, NH2), 7.16 (s, 4H, Ar-
H), 11.10 (s, 1H, NH); 13C-NMR, δ (ppm): 29.62, 125.54, 127.84, 131.14, 133.62, 136.95, 137.44,
146.93, 154.11; Calcd. (%) for C9H9N4OCl (225): C, 48.08; H, 4.04; N, 24.94; found (%): C, 48.34; H,
4.63, N, 24.85.
3-o-Methylbenzyl-4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (3c): Prepared from 2c, yield 91%;
m.p. 190-191 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 3327, 3221 (NH2, NH), 1725 (C=O), 1635 (C=N), 736 (1,2-disubstituted
benzene ring); 1H NMR, δ (ppm): 2.38 (s, 3H, CH3), 4.10 (s, 2H, CH2), 5.28 (s, 2H, NH2), 7.32 (s, 4H,
Ar-H), 11.60 (s, 1H, NH); 13C-NMR, δ (ppm): 20.12, 29.76, 124.86, 125.18, 129.26, 130.18, 134.10,
135.19, 146.13, 153.81; Calcd. (%) for C10H12N4O (204): C, 58.76; H, 5.92; N, 27.42; found (%): C,
58.86; H, 6.04, N, 27.31.
3-m-Methylbenzyl-4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (3d): Prepared from 2d, yield 87%;
m.p.156-157 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 3322, 3222 (NH2, NH), 1731 (C=O), 1642 (C=N), 822, 751, 705 (1,3-
1
disubstituted benzene ring); H-NMR, δ (ppm): 2.38 (s, 3H, CH3), 4.16 (s, 2H, CH2), 5.24 (s, 2H,
NH2), 7.24 (s, 4H, Ar-H), 11.46 (s, 1H, NH); 13C-NMR, δ (ppm): 19.08, 28.12, 125.70, 126.56,
129.01, 129.78, 134.27, 136.17, 147.28, 154.00; Calcd. (%) for C10H12N4O (204): C, 58.76; H, 5.92;
N, 27.42; found (%): C, 58.69; H, 6.12, N, 27.96.
General Procedure for the Preparation of Isatin-3-imines 4a-d.
Equimolar quantities (0.01 mol) of isatin and the corresponding amino compound 3a-d were
dissolved in warm ethanol (40 mL) containing glacial acetic acid (0.5 mL). The reaction mixture was
refluxed for 4 hr and then kept at room temperature overnight. The resulting solid was washed with
ethanol, dried and recrystallized from ethanol-chloroform to afford compounds 4a-d.
3-[3’-(4’’-o-Chlorobenzyl-4’,5’-dihydro-1’H-1’,2’,4’-triazol-5’-on-4’-yl]-iminoisatin (4a): Prepared
from 3a, yield 72%; m.p. 252-253 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 3403, 3190 (N-H), 1754,1730 (C=O), 1684, 1613
(C=N), 1463 (C=C); 1H-NMR, δ (ppm): 4.18 (s, 2H, CH2), 7.18-7.64 (m, 8H, Ar-H), 11.22 (s, 1H, N-
H), 12.40 (s, 1H, N-H); 13C-NMR, δ (ppm): 29.26, 113.42, 115.80, 121.18, 125.50, 126.18, 128.88,
129.85, 131.60, 133.36, 134.81, 137.18, 144.81, 145.83, 146.12, 156.18, 161.86 ; Calcd. (%) for
C17H12N5O2Cl (354): C, 67.66; H, 3.42; N, 19.79; found (%): C, 57.18; H, 3.52, N, 19.64.

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3-[3’-(4’’-m-Chlorobenzyl)-4’,5’-dihydro-1’H-1’,2’,4’-triazol-5’-on-4’-yl]-iminoisatin (4b): Prepared
from 3b, yield 68%; m.p. 266-267 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 3164, 3086 (N-H), 1730, 1708 (C=O), 1684, 1613
(C=N), 1464 (C=C); 1H-NMR, δ (ppm): 4.14 (s, 2H, CH2), 6.96-7.32 (m, 6H, Ar-H), 7.40-7.68 (s, 2H,
Ar-H), 11.28 (s, 1H, N-H), 12.36 (s, 1H, N-H); 13C-NMR, δ (ppm): 28.31, 112.41, 116.42, 120.00,
124.81, 127.51, 128.12, 129.24, 131.18, 132.41, 135.40, 136.02, 145.10, 145.91, 146.83, 157.16,
162.15; Calcd. (%) for C17H12N5O2Cl (354): C, 57.66; H, 3.42; N, 19.79; found (%): C, 57.89; H, 3.48,
N, 19.69.
3-[3’-(4’’-o-Methylbenzyl)-4’,5’-dihydro-1’H-1’,2’,4’-triazol-5’-on-4’-yl]-iminoisatin (4c): Prepared
from 3c, yield 74%; m.p. 269-270 ºC; IR ῡ (cm-1): 3194, 3088 (N-H), 1746, 1706 (C=O), 1610, 1588
1
(C=N), 1467 (C=C); H-NMR, δ (ppm): 2.44 (s, 3H, CH3), 4.08 (s, 2H, CH2), 6.92-7.66 (m, 8H, Ar-
H), 11.12 (s, 1H, N-H), 12.54 (s, 1H, N-H); 13C-NMR, δ (ppm): 19.10, 29.33, 111.16, 115.73, 122.41,
125.74, 127.10, 127.90, 129.37, 130.04, 133.33, 135.54, 136.53, 145.70, 146.10, 148.54, 158.04,
163.31; Calcd. (%) for C18H15N5O2 (333): C, 64.80; H, 4.54; N, 21.00; found (%): C, 64.96; H, 4.66,
N, 21.44.
3-[3’-(4’’-m-Methylbenzyl)-4’,5’-dihydro-1’H-1’,2’,4’-triazol-5’-on-4’-yl]-iminoisatin (4d): Prepared
from 3d, yield 75 %; m.p. 272-273 ºC; IR õ (cm-1): 3177, 3084 (N-H), 1748, 1707 (C=O), 1609, 1583
(C=N), 1466 (C=C); 1H-NMR δ (ppm): 2.41 (s, 3H, CH3), 4.12 (s, 2H, CH2), 7.00-7.47 (m, 8H, Ar-H),
11.20 (s, 1H, N-H), 12.32 (s, 1H, N-H); 13C-NMR, δ (ppm): 19.04, 28.96, 112.86, 114.61, 121.14,
124.81, 127.00, 127.50, 128.14, 131.14, 132.15, 135.20, 135.41, 144.62, 146.54, 147.51, 157.60,
162.94; Calcd. (%) for C18H15N5O2 (333): C, 64.80; H, 4.54; N, 21.00; found (%): C, 64.56; H, 4.63,
N, 21.21.
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Sample Availability: Available from the author.
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