Synthesis and molluscicidal activity of some furo [2,3,-d] pyrimidine and furo [2,3-b] pyridine derivatives

In the last few years we have been involved in a program aiming to develop new simple approaches for synthesis of heteiecyclic systems of expected biological potentialities from laboratory available starting materials [1,3]. Since Schistomiasis is a national health problem in Egypt, we tried to synthesize antischistosomiasal condensed furans. Thus, while phenarylmalononitrilt 1 [4] has afforded furan-3-carboxamide derivative upon reflux in acetic-sulphuric acid mixture [5], the furan-3-carbonitrile derivative 2 [Scheme 1] was obtained in almost quantitative yield by re fluxing 1 in ethanol catalysed by triethylamine; mp. 199-200degree Iit.l98 degree] [6]