5-nitroimidazole compounds

摘要

Novel compounds of formula in which R is C1- 5 alkyl, or a -(CH2)nOX radical where n is 2,3 or 4 and X is a hydrogen atom or an acyl radical, R2 is hydrogen or C1- 5 alkyl, and R3 is hydrogen, or a C1- 5 alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, amino, phenylamino, glucosamino, or carbamoylalkyl radical, or -NR2R3 represents a morpholino, piperidinyl, piperazinyl or pyrrolidinyl ring, and the water-soluble acid addition salts thereof, are prepared (1) when R is a C1- 5 alkyl radical, by contacting a 1-(C1- 5 alkyl)-5-nitroimidazole -2-carbonyl halide or a C1- 8 hydrocarbonyl ester of a 1-(C1- 5 alkyl)-5-nitroimidazole-2-carboxylic acid with an amine of formula HNR2R3, (2) when R is -(CH2)nOH, by contacting a 1-(o -hydroxyalkyl) - 5 - nitroimidazole - 2 - carboxylic acid lactone with an amine of formula HNR2R3, and (3) when R is -(CH2)nOX and X is an acyl radical, by esterification of the corresponding compounds in which X is hydrogen. The starting materials for processes (1) and (2) may be prepared by the process claimed in Specifications 1,077,694 and 1,077,695. Pharmaceutical compositions active against trichomoniasis, which may be administered orally, contain as active ingredient a compound of Formula A above. Veterinary compositions active against histomoniasis, which may be administered orally mixed in foodstuff or drinking water, contain as active ingredient a compound of Formula A above. Compounds of Formula A also exhibit anti-bacterial activity.