Abstract:
Imidazolylethoxy derivatives of pyridin-5-methanols having the general formula ##STR1## and their acid addition salts are useful as antifungal and antibacterial agents.

Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to new 2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethoxy derivatives of pyridin-5-methanols and the acid addition salts of these compounds. These new compounds have the general formula ##STR2## 
     The symbols have the following meaning in Formula I and throughout the specification: 
     R 1  to R 6  each is hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, lower alkoxy, lower alkylthio or lower alkyl. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The lower alkyl groups include straight or branched chain hydrocarbon groups containing 1 to 7 carbon atoms. Examples include methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl and the like. The lower alkoxy and lower alkylthio groups include such lower alkyl groups bonded to an oxygen or sulfur, respectively, e.g., methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy, t-butoxy, methylthio, ethylthio, propylthio, butylthio, isobutylthio, etc. In all of these the C 1  -C 4 , especially C 1  -C 2 , lower alkyl groups are preferred. 
     The halogens are the four common halogens, chlorine and bromine being preferred in that order. Preferably, but not necessarily, all halogens in a single compound are the same. 
     Preferred embodiments of this invention are compounds of formula I wherein R 1  to R 6  each is hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1 to 4 carbons or halogen (especially chlorine or bromine). 
     Most preferred embodiments are compounds of formula I wherein R 1  to R 6  each is hydrogen, halogen or lower alkyl of 1 to 4 carbons, must especially wherein R 1  is hydrogen or C 1  -C 4  -alkyl, R 2 , R 4 , R 5  and R 6  each is chlorine, and R 3  is hydrogen. 
     The new compounds of formula I are formed by the following series of reactions. 
     A pyridine-5-carboxylic acid ester of the formula ##STR3## is reduced by means of a reducing agent, e.g., a metal hydride such as lithium aluminum hydride or sodium borohydride and the like, to give the alcohol of the formula ##STR4## 
     The alcohol of formula III is then converted to the halomethyl derivative of the formula ##STR5## wherein X represents a halogen, preferably chlorine, bromine or iodine, by means of an inorganic acid halide such as thionyl chloride, phosphorus oxybromide, etc. 
     The product of formula I is then prepared by reaction of the halo compound of formula IV with a substituted 1-(phenyl)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethanol of the formula ##STR6## 
     The inorganic acid formed during the reaction is neutralized by a base, e.g., alkali metal hydoxide, carbonate, amine, alcoholate or other similar agents known in the art. 
     The compounds of formula II, which are used as starting materials, are produced by the procedures described in C.R. Acad. Sci. Hebd., Sci. Ser. C 275, 1317 (1972); Rec.trav.chim. 65, 129 (1946); Chem. Ber. 93, 1848 (1960). The compounds of formula V which are used as starting materials are produced by the general method described in J. Med. Chem. 12, 784 (1969). 
     The compounds of formula I form salts which are also part of this invention. The salts include acid-addition salts, particularly the non-toxic, physiologically acceptable members. The bases of formula I form salts by reaction with one or more equivalents of any of a variety of the common inorganic and organic acids providing acid addition salts including, for example, hydrohalides (especially hydrochloride and hydrobromide), sulfate, nitrate, borate, phosphate, oxalate, maleate, citrate, acetate, ascorbate, succinate, benzenesulfonate, methanesulfonate, cyclohexanesulfamate and toluenesulfonate. The acid addition salts frequently provide a convenient means for isolating or purifying the product, e.g., by forming and precipitating a salt (which is not necessarily non-toxic) in an appropriate medium in which the salt is insoluble, then after separation of the salt, neutralizing with a base such as barium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, to obtain the free base of formula I. Other salts may then be formed from the free base by reaction with one or more equivalents of acid containing the desired acid group. 
     The new compounds of Formula I and their salts are useful as anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agents and may be used to combat infections in various mammalian species, such as mice, rats, dogs, guinea pigs and the like, particularly those due to organisms such as Candida albicans, as well as organisms such as Trichomonas vaginalis or Trichophyton mentagrophytes. For example, a compound or mixture of compounds of formula I or physiologically acceptable acid addition salt thereof can be administered orally to an infected animal, e.g., to a mouse, in an amount of about 5 to 25 mg. per kg. per day in 2 to 4 divided doses. These may be conventionally formulated in a tablet, capsule or elixir containing about 10 to 250 mg. per dosage unit, by compounding the active substance or substances with the conventional excipient, vehicle, binder, preservative, flavor, etc., as called for by accepted pharmaceutical practice. Preferably they are applied topically, e.g., intravaginally in a lotion or in a conventional cream base at a concentration of about 0.01 to 3 percent by weight for a period of about 3 to 7 days, two to four times daily. 
     The following examples are illustrative of the invention. Temperatures are on the Celsius scale. 
    
    
     EXAMPLE 1 
     2,4-Dichloro-5-[[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethoxy]methyl]pyridine, hydrochloride (1:1) 
     (a) 2,4-Dichloropyridin-5-methanol 
     66 g. of 2,4-Dichloropyridin-5-carboxylic acid, ethyl ester (0.3 mol.) are dissolved in 120 ml. of anhydrous tetrahydrofuran. Nitrogen is passed through the flask and while stirring and cooling to 0°, 7.12 g. of lithium aluminum hydride are added in portions in order to keep the reaction temperature in the range of 5° to 10°. Stirring is continued for an additional 2 hours while cooling externally with ice water, and the mixture is allowed to stand overnight. While stirring and cooling the mixture with ice water, there are added 250 ml. of hydrochloric acid (3N) dropwise so that the reaction temperature does not exceed 5° to 8°. Then the acidic solution is evaporated in vacuo to dryness and the residual product is extracted with 500 ml. of chloroform. The chloroform extract is treated with charcoal, filtered and the solvent is distilled off, yielding 37.7 g. of 2,4-dichloropyridin-5-methanol, m.p. 73°-77°. 
     The salt product, which is the residue after extracting with chloroform is neutralized with sodium hydroxide and the salt mixture is again extracted with chloroform in a Soxhlet apparatus and this yields a second crop of 5.2 g. Total yield 42.9 g. (80%). After recrystallization from hexane, the 2,4-dichloropyridin-5-methaol melts at 82°-85°. 
     (b) 5-Chloromethyl-2,4-dichloropyridine 
     20.2 g. of 2,4-dichloropyridin-5-methanol (0.11 mol.) and 150 ml. of phosphorus oxychloride are refluxed for 19 hours. Then the excess phosphorus oxychloride is removed in vacuo and ice is added to the residue. 5-Chloromethyl-2,4-dichloropyridine is filtered off, washed with water, dried in the desiccator over P 2  O 5  and recrystallized from hexane; yield 17.95 g. (83%), m.p. 55°-56°. 
     (c) 2,4-Dichloro-5-[[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-(1H-imidazoyl-1-yl)ethoxy]methyl]pyridine, hydrochloride (1:1) 
     In a three-necked flask, fitted with stirrer, reflux condenser and gas inlet tube 29.3 g. of sodium hydroxide (0.73 mol.) and 27 ml. of water are introduced. While passing nitrogen through the flask, the solution is cooled to 45° and then 7.71 g. of 1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethanol (0.03 mol.) [prepared by the method of J. Med. Chem. 12, 784 (1969)], 0.5 g. of benzyltrimethylammonium chloride and 30 ml. of tetrahydrofuran are added. To the mixture, which is warmed to 50°, 5.9 g. of 5-chloromethyl-2,4-dichloropyridine are added and the mixture is stirred vigorously for two hours at 60°. The filtered biphasic solution is transferred into a separating funnel, the lower aqueous sodium hydroxide is extracted with 10 ml. of tetrahydrofuran. The combined tetrahydrofuran layers are treated with charcoal and dried by means of sodium sulfate. Ether is then added to the tetrahydrofuran extract in order to remove an oily by-product. To the clear solution of the free base alcoholic hydrochloric acid is added dropwise. The precipitated 2,4-dichloro-5-[[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-ethoxy]-methyl]pyridine, hydrochloride (3.5 g.) is treated with acetonitrile. A second crop is obtained by removing the tetrahydrofuran/alcohol mother liquor and treating the residue with acetonitrile (3.5 g.), m.p. 177°. Total yield 7 g. (52%). Recrystallization from acetonitrile elevates the melting point to 181°-182°. 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     2,4-Dichloro-6-methyl-5-[[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethoxy]methyl]pyridine, hydrochloride 
     By substituting 0.3 ml. of 2,4-dichloro-6-methylpyridin-5-carboxylic acid, ethyl ester for the 2,4-dichloropyridin-5-carboxylic acid, ethyl ester in the procedure of Example 1, 2,4-dichloro-6-methyl-5-[[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-ethoxy]methyl]pyridine and its hydrochloride, m.p. 225°-260° are obtained, nitrate m.p. 121°-122°. 
     The following additional products of formula C are obtained by the procedure of Example 1 by reacting the unsubstituted or substituted 1-phenyl-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethanol of formula A with the unsubstituted or substituted 5-chloromethylpyridine of formula B. The substituents apply to the respective formulas. 
     
         __________________________________________________________________________ ##STR7## ##STR8## ##STR9##ExampleR.sup.1      R.sup.2            R.sup.3                  R.sup.4                       R.sup.5                             R.sup.6__________________________________________________________________________3    H     H     H     H    H     H4    CH.sub.3      CH.sub.3             OH   Cl   H     H5    H     H     OCH.sub.2 H.sub.5                  CH.sub.3                       2-Cl  4-Cl6    C.sub.2 H.sub.5      C.sub.2 H.sub.5            OCH.sub.3                  CH.sub.3                       H     4-Cl7    C.sub.2 H.sub.5      CH.sub.3            Br    H    H     3-Br8    H     CH.sub.3            H     H    2-Br  4-Br9    C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     Br    H    3-Br  4-Br10   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     H     CH.sub.3                       H     4-Cl11   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     Cl    C.sub.2 H.sub.5                       H     2-Cl12   H     CH.sub.3            OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                  H    2-CH.sub.3                             4-CH.sub.313   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      C.sub.3 H.sub.7            Cl    H    H     4-OCH.sub.314   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     Cl    H    H     2-OCH.sub.315   C.sub.3 H.sub.7      H     OH    H    H     3-Cl16   Cl    H     Cl    H    2-Cl  4-Cl17   Br    CH.sub.3            H     H    H     4-Cl18   OCH.sub.3      H     Cl    H    H     H19   SCH.sub.3      H     Cl    H    2-Cl  4-Cl20   OC.sub.2 H.sub.5      CH.sub.3            Cl    H    3-Cl  4-Cl21   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     Cl    Cl   H     4-Cl22   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      SCH.sub.3            H     H    2-Cl  4-Cl23   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      CH.sub.3            Cl    H    H     4-Cl24   H     CH.sub.3            Br    H    H     4-Cl25   H     OCH.sub.3            H     H    H     4-Cl26   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     Cl    H    2-Cl  4-Cl27   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     H     CH.sub.3                       H     4-Br28   H     H     Cl    H    2-Cl  4-Cl29   OH    CH.sub.3            Cl    H    H     4-Cl30   CH.sub.3      H     SCH.sub.3                  H    H     4-SCH.sub.331   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     H     H    H     4-Cl32   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     H     H    H     4-C.sub.2 H.sub.533   H     OH    H     H    3-Cl  H34   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      CH.sub.3            H     OH   H     H35   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      H     OH    H    2-Cl  4-Cl36   H     H     H     H    4-OCH.sub.3                             H37   Cl    H     H     H    H     2-SCH.sub.338   H     Br    H     Br   4-SCH.sub.3                             H39   H     H     OH    H    3-OH  5-OH40   C.sub.2 H.sub.5      CH.sub.3            OC.sub.4 H.sub.9                  H    H     4-Cl41   H     H     OC.sub.3 H.sub.7                  H    2-Cl  4-Cl42   H     H     H     SCH.sub.3                       2-Cl  4-Cl43   Cl    H     Cl    CH.sub.3                       H     4-Cl__________________________________________________________________________