2-Aminothiazole is a heterocyclic amine featuring a thiazole core. It can also be considered a cyclic isothiourea. It possesses an odor similar to pyridine and is soluble in water, alcohols and diethyl ether. 2-Aminothiazole itself is mainly of academic interest, with few exceptions. It is a precursor to a sulfathiazole ("sulfa drugs"). 2-Aminothiazole can be used as a thyroid inhibitor in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. 2-Aminothiazole is prepared from paraldehyde, thiourea, and sulfuryl chloride.

2-Aminothiazoles

Like the parent, 2-aminothiazoles are often produced by the condensation of thiourea and an alpha-halo ketone. In an adaptation of the Robinson-Gabriel synthesis, a 2-acylamino-ketone reacts with phosphorus pentasulfide.

Applications

Synthetic aminothiazoles - compounds containing the parent 2-aminothiazole as a subunit - are used in medicinal chemistry. Some examples are abafungin, acotiamide, amiphenazole, amthamine, avatrombopag, aztreonam, cefepime, cefixime, ceftizoxime, ceftiofur, ceftibuten, cefpirome, famotidine, meloxicam, and pramipexole.