Diethyl 3,7-Hypoxanthyldiacetate

The title compound, diethyl 6-oxo-6,7-dihydro-3H-purine-3,7-diacetate, C₁₃H₁₆N₄O₅, was obtained by direct alkylation of hypoxanthine using ethyl bromoacetate, in the presence of potassium carbonate; the two alkyl substituents are attached to the heterocycle at positions N3 and N7. Both side chains avoid steric hindrance with the heterocycle, as demonstrated by the torsion angles C2-N3-C15-C16 - 68.9 (2) and C8-N7-C10-C11 106.8 (2)°.

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