5-Substituted pyrimidine acyclic nucleoside analogues 1-cyanomethyl- and 1-(4-cyanobutyl)-5-substituted uracils as candidate antitumor agents.

A number of 5-substituted pyrimidine acyclic nucleosides were synthesized and tested for in vitro cytotoxicity against four cell lines (J-82 cell, P-388 cell, FM-3A cell and U-938 cell lines). Synthesis of 1-cyanomethyl-5-substituted pyrimidines (1a-e) and 1-(4-cyanobutyl)-5-substituted pyrimidines (2a-e) was accomplished from the series of alkylation reactions of 5-substituted uracils with the corresponding chloroacetonitrile and 5-chlorovaleronitile in DMSO under 50 degrees C temperature. These 5-substituted pyrimidine acylic nucleosides (1a-e and 2a-e) exhibited moderate to significant activity against four cell lines.