Free radical addition of trichloromethyl to caffeine access to C-8 polyhalogenoalkane derivatives and to unexpected 5-trichloromethyl-1,3,7 trimethyl-5,7-dihydrouric acid
The “Electrophilic” trichloromethylradical was introduced directly into the model purine compound, caffeine, leading to products 2 and 3 (the former being smoothly converted to the corresponding carboxy ester derivative) and to the unexpected C-5 substituted title compound 4.