Synthesis of Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Phenethyl Thiourea Compounds as Nonnucleoside Inhibitors of HIV‐1 Reverse Transcriptase

Abstract Synthesis of symmetrical and asymmetrical phenethyl thioureas was accomplished in two steps with an overall yield of 75–80%. Condensation of a substituted phenethyl amine with thiocarbonyldiimidazole, followed by treatment with one more equivalent of the phenethylamine in DMF, yielded the desired symmetrical phenethyl thiourea compound as a crystalline solid. In the case of asymmetrical thiourea derivatives, different amines were selected and condensed using a similar procedure. A series of 45 thioureas was synthesized.