Nitration of 2-substituted pyrimidine-4,6-diones, structure and reactivity of 5,5-gem-dinitropyrimidine-4,6-diones.

Nitration of some 2-substituted pyrimidine-4,6-diones in sulfuric acid was studied, which afforded previously unknown 5,5-gem-dinitropyrimidine-4,6-diones in high yields. The gem-dinitro products were easily attacked by nucleophiles with concomitant formation of gem-dinitroacetyl derivatives, which in turn could be further hydrolyzed to salts of dinitromethane and triureas.