The iodination of pyrimidines is usually carried out by using toxic reagents under acidic conditions, such as with sulfuric acid and nitric acid. To avoid toxic reagents, we developed a simple and eco-friendly approach for the iodination of pyrimidine derivatives under solvent-free conditions using solid iodine and AgNO3 as an electrophilic iodinating reagent. The advantages of this method are the relatively short reaction time (20–30 min), simple set-up procedure, high yields (70–98%), and environmentally friendly reaction conditions. Our novel approach for the iodination of pyrimidines, as well as a variety of their derivatives, will contribute to the development of nucleobase-related drug candidates.
