Scheme 1.
Synthesis of uracil 5-carboxylic acid (c5Ura, 1), 2-thiouracil 5-carboxylic acid (s2c5Ura, 2) and 2-selenouracil 5-carboxylic acid (se2c5Ura, 3). The derivatives contain a single, non-exchangable proton (Ha) visible by 1H-NMR spectroscopy.