A series of novel guanidine derivatives were synthesized in three steps and their anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and in vivo evaluated. 2-Aminopyridin-3-ol (1) was reacted with thiophosphoryl chloride (2) to give a monochloride (3). It was further reacted with cyanamide to afford the corresponding cyanamine (4), which was subsequently reacted with different heterocyclic amines to form the title compounds (5a-l). The substituent in the guanidine function affected the potency of anti-inflammatory activity. The compounds having benzothiazole, fluorophenyl, and piperazinyl moieties enhanced the anti-inflammatory activity.
