[Bis((2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinazolin-3-yl)alkyl)disulfane and 3-(mercaptoalkyl)quinazolin-2,4(1H,3H)-dione: synthesis by ring transformation and antiviral activity. 42. Heterocyclic azines with heteroatoms in the 1- and 3- positions].

Reaction of N-(sulfonyloxy)phtalimide derivatives 1, 2, with cystamine and homocystamine, respectively, affords bis[2,4-dioxol-1,2,3,4-tetra-hydroquinazolin-3-yl)alkyl] disulfanes [sequence: see text] 3, which could be reduced to 3-(mercaptoalkyl)quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones. 5. (3-(2-Mercaptoethyl)quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione (5a) was also obtained in a one-pot reaction from 1 or 2 and cysteamine. 2-Ethoxy-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones 4a-c were converted with cysteamine to 3-(mercaptoethyl)quinazoline-2,4-diones 5a-c by a new ringtransformation reaction. 3-(2-Mercaptoethyl)quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)dione (5a) and the corresponding disulfane 3a were evaluated for antiviral activity in vitro. Compounds 3a and 5a showed significant antiviral activity against some DNA- and RNA-viruses (vaccinia-, herpes simplex virus type 1; influenza A virus) at concentrations that were nontoxic to the host cell cultures.