Salts of 4-alkyl-3,5-dicyano-6-mercapto-2-pyridinethiones

Abstract

Readily accessible salts of Guareschi imides have been converted into the analogous mercapto-pyridinethiones by thiation with phosphorus pentasulphide and also via the dichloro-pyridines. The compounds have been tested for pharmacological and antimicrobial activity. The i.r. and u.v. spectra have been compared with those of other polysubstituted pyridines. The evidence of the preponderance of the mercapto-pyridinethione tautomer includes two ‘thiocarbonyl’ stretching bands in the 1150–1180 cm.^–1 region. A third band near 980 cm.^–1 is also characteristic of these sulphur compounds.