Synthesis of pyrimidine-5-carbaldehydes from α-formylaroylketene dithioacetals

A facile one pot synthetic path for the preparation of pyrimidine-5-carbaldehydes from α-formylaroylketene dithioacetals is described. Amidines were allowed to react with α-formylaroylketene dithioacetals in DMF or acetonitrile to afford the pyrimidine-5-carbaldehydes. The starting compounds reported earlier were synthesized from α-oxoketene dithioacetals in excellent amount.