Syntheses of 6-Amino-1-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]-1,3-oxazin-4-one,an isostere of oxanosine,and the guanosine analog 6-amino-1-(β-d-ribofuranosyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4(5H)-one via ring closure of pyrazole-5-thioureido intermediates

6-Amino-1-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)-1H-pyrazolo3,4-d]-1,3-oxazin-4-one ( 4 ), an isostere of the nucleoside antibiotic oxanosine has been synthesized from ethyl 5-amino-1-(2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrazole-4-carboxylate ( 6 ). Treatment of 6 with ethoxycarbonyl isothiocyanate in acetone gave the 5-thioureido derivative 7 , which on methylation with methyl iodide afforded ethyl 1-(2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-5-(N'-ethoxycarbonyl-S-methylisothiocarbamoyl)amino]pyrazole-4-carboxylate ( 8 ). Ring closure of 8 under alkaline media furnished 6-amino-1-(2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-1H-pyrazolo3,4-d]-1,3-oxazin-4-one ( 10 ), which on deisopropylidenation afforded 4 in good yield. 6-Amino-1-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)-1H-pyrazolo3,4-d]pyrimidin-4(5H)-one ( 5 ) has also been synthesized from the AICA riboside congener 5-amino-1-(2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrazole-4-carboxamide ( 12 ). Treatment of 12 with benzoyl isothiocyanate, and subsequent methylation of the reaction product with methyl iodide gave 1-(2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-5-(N'-benzoyl-S-methylisothiocarbamoyl)amino]pyrazole-4-carboxamide ( 15 ). Base mediated cyclization of 15 gave 6-amino-1-(2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-1H-pyrazolo3,4-d]pyrimidin-4(5H)-one ( 14 ). Deisopropylidenation of 14 with aqueous trifluoroacetic acid afforded 5 in good yield. Compound 4 was devoid of any significant antiviral or antitumor activity in culture.