Synthesis of Purine and Pyrimidine 3'-Amino-3'-deoxy- and 3'-Amino-2',3'-dideoxyxylonucleosides

A general procedure to obtain the 3'-aminoxylonucleosides 13a,b and 17a,b is presented. The synthetic scheme is based on the 5' directed intramolecular nucleophilic substitution at the 3'-activated position of the nucleoside. The approach of the incoming group to this position takes place regio- and stereoselectively from the most hindered face of the nucleoside. The methodology presented is applicable to ribonucleosides and 2'-deoxyribonucleosides, regardless of their nitrogenated base.     

Synthesis of L-beta-3'-deoxy-3',3'-difluoro-4'-thionucleosides

[Structure: see text] An efficient route to L-beta-3'-deoxy-3',3'-difluoro-4'-thionucleosides, thio-containing analogues of highly bioactive gemcitabine, is described. Our synthesis highlighted the installation of the thioacetyl group in high efficiency and construction of 3-deoxy-3,3-difluorothiofuranose skeleton in a novel method.     

Synthesis of the phosphoramidite derivatives of 2'-deoxy-2'-C-alpha-methylcytidine and 2'-deoxy-2'-C-alpha-hydroxymethylcytidine: analogues for chemical dissection of RNA's 2'-hydroxyl group

Oligonucleotides containing 2'-C-alpha-methyl and 2'-C-alpha-hydroxymethyl modifications enable strategies for delineation of the distinctive role fulfilled by the 2'-hydroxyl group in RNA structure and function. Synthetic routes to the phosphoramidite derivatives of 2'-deoxy-2'-C-alpha-methylcytidine (14%, 15 steps) and 2'-deoxy-2'-C-alpha-hydroxymethylcytidine (19%, 10 steps) from methyl 3,5-di-O-(4-chlorobenzyl)-alpha-d-ribofuranoside are developed.     

Synthesis of 3'-deoxy-3'-difluoromethyl azanucleosides from trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline

[reaction: see text] Two strategies were tried to synthesize 3'-deoxy-3'-difluoromethyl azanucleosides. After the failure of the first route, the key intermediate 12 from trans-4-hydroxyproline 7 in 8 steps was stereoselectively prepared. The alcohol 12 was subjected to selective protection, oxidation, and difluoromethylenation to afford the fluorinated compound 18, whose hydrogenation was then systematically investigated. After a series of transformations of protecting groups, the resultant compounds 22 and 23 were oxidized to the desired lactams 24 and 25, which were successfully utilized to synthesize our target molecules, 3'-deoxy-3'-difluoromethyl azanucleosides 33, 34a, 34b, and 35.     

Studies on antitumor agents. IX. Synthesis of 3'-O-benzyl-2'-deoxy-5-trifluoromethyluridine

A practical synthesis of 3'-O-benzyl-2'-deoxy-5-trifluoromethyluridine (1), a candidate antitumor agent for clinical testing, was developed from 2'-deoxy-5-iodouridine (3). Benzylation of 2'-deoxy-5-iodo-5'-O-trityluridine (14) with benzyl bromide and sodium hydride in tetrahydrofuran gave the 3'-O-derivative (16). Benzoylation of 16 afforded the N3-benzoyl derivative (17). Coupling of 17 with trifluoromethylcopper, prepared from bromotrifluoromethane and copper powder in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine, gave the 5-trifluoromethyl derivative (19) minimally contaminated with the 5-pentafluoroethyl compound. Deprotection of 19 furnished 1.     

Synthesis of the phosphoramidite derivative of 2'-deoxy-2'-C-beta-methylcytidine

2'-Deoxy-2'-C-beta-methylnucleosides elicit interest as potential therapeutic agents and as analogues for the analysis of nucleic acid structure and function. An efficient route for the synthesis of 2'-deoxy-2'-C-methyluridine (11), 2'-deoxy-2'-C-methylcytidine (12), and the phosphoramidite derivative of 2'-deoxy-2'-C-beta-methylcytidine (10, 46% overall yield) from 1,2,3,5-tetra-O-benzoyl-2-C-beta-methylribofuranose (1) is described.     

3-Bromopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-beta-D-arabinonucleosides: modified DNA constituents with an unusually rigid sugar N-conformation

The nucleobase anion glycosylation of 3-bromo-4-isopropoxy-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-6-amine (6) with 3,5-di-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-alpha-d-arabinofuranosyl bromide (5) furnished the protected N(1)-beta-d-nucleosides 7 (60%) and 8 (ca. 2%) along with the N(2)-beta-d-regioisomer 9 (9%). Debenzoylation of compounds 7 and 9 yielded the nucleosides 10 (81%) and 11 (76%). Compound 10 was transformed to the 2'-deoxyguanosine derivative 1 [6-amino-3-bromo-1-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-beta-d-arabinofuranosyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one] (85% yield) and the purine-2,6-diamine analogue 2 [3-bromo-1-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-beta-d-arabinofuranosyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4, 6-diamine] (78%). Both nucleosides form more than 98% N-conformer population (P(N) ca. 358 degrees and psi(m) ca. 37 degrees ) in aqueous solution. Single-crystal X-ray analysis of 1 showed that the sugar moiety displays also the N-conformation [P = 347.3 degrees and psi(m) = 34.4 degrees ] in the solid state. The remarkable rigid N-conformation of the pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-beta-d-arabinonucleosides 1 and 2 observed in solution is different from that of the parent purine 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-beta-d-arabinonucleosides 3 and 4, which are in equilibrium showing almost equal distribution of the N/S-conformers.