Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of substituted 5,6-dihydro-5-nitrouracils

Reaction of 5-nitrouracil derivatives with sodium borohydride in methanol-water, followed by neutralization of the product with acid, has produced 5,6-dihydro-5-nitrouracil (5) 5,6-dihydro-6-dihydro-6-methyl-5-nitrouracil (7), 5,6-dihydro-5-nitro-1-(4-nitrophenyl)uracil (10), and 5,6-dihydro-5-nitro-1(beta-D-ribofuranuronic acid ethyl ester)uracil (12). In assays for antimicrobial activity using strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, significant inhibition of growth was not found.