Diastereoselective synthesis of 5-benzylthio- and 5-mercaptohexahydropyrimidin-2-ones

A three-stage diastereoselective synthesis of (4R∗,5R∗,6S∗)-5-mercapto-4-methyl-6-phenylhexahydropyrimidin-2-one has been developed. The first stage involves the formation of 4-hydroxy-5-(4-methoxybenzylthio)-4-methyl-6-phenylhexahydropyrimidin-2-one by the reaction of N-[(phenyl)(tosyl)methyl]urea with the sodium enolate of 1-(4-methoxybenzylthio)propan-2-one. Reduction of the obtained compound by NaBH4–CF3COOH and removal of the p-methoxybenzyl protecting group results in the target compound.