Synthesis and properties of the sulfonyl analogues of 4(5)-aminoimidazole-5(4)-carboxamide, 4(5)-(formylamino)imidazole-5(4)-carboxamide, guanine, and xanthine.

: Reduction of 4(5)-nitroimidazole-5(4)-sulfonamide afforded the sulfonamide analogue of 4(5)-aminoimidazole-5(4)-carboxamide (AICA). This was formylated to afford the sulfonamide analogue of formyl-AICA and was ring closed to the unsubstituted 6-sulfonyl analogue of guanine, 3-aminoimidazo[4,5-e]-1,2,4-thiadizine 1,1-dioxide. Diazotiz ation of the latter afforded the corresponding 6-sulfonyl analogue of xanthine. None of the imidazole-sulfonamides or the purine 6-sulfonyl analogues inhibited the growth of L1210 cells in culture nor were they substrates for or significant inhibitors of human hypoxanthine--guanine phosphoribosyltransferase or milk xanthine oxidase.