Synthesis and properties of 5-(1,2-dihaloethyl)-2′-deoxyuridines and related analogues

The regiospecific reaction of 5-vinyl-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 2 ) with HOX (X = Cl, Br, I) yielded the corresponding 5-(1-hydroxy-2-haloethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridines 3a-c . Alternatively, reaction of 2 with iodine monochloride in aqueous acetonitrile also afforded 5-(1-hydroxy-2-iodoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 3c ). Treatment of 5-(1-hydroxy-2-chloroethyl)- ( 3a ) and 5-(1-hydroxy-2-bromoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 3b ) with DAST (Et₂NSF₃) in methylene chloride at -40° gave the respective 5-(1-fluoro-2-chloroethyl)- ( 6a , 74%) and 5-(1-fluoro-2-bromoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 6b , 65%). In contrast, 5-(1-fluoro-2-iodoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 6e ) could not be isolated due to its facile reaction with methanol, ethanol or water to yield the corresponding 5-(1-methoxy-2-iodoethyl)- ( 6c ), 5-(1-ethoxy-2-iodoethyl)- ( 6d ) and 5-(1-hydroxy-2-iodoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 3c ). Treatment of 5-(1-hydroxy-2-chloroethyl)- ( 3a ) and 5-(1-hydroxy-2-bromoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 3b ) with thionyl chloride yielded the respective 5-(1,2-dichloroethyl)- ( 6f , 85%) and 5-(1-chloro-2-bromoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 6g , 50%), whereas a similar reaction employing the 5-(1-hydroxy-2-iodoethyl)- compound 3c afforded 5-(1-methoxy-2-iodoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 6c ), possibly via the unstable 5-(1-chloro-2-iodoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine intermediate 6h . The 5-(1-bromo-2-chloroethyl)- ( 6i ) and 5-(1,2-dibromoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 6j ) could not be isolated due to their facile conversion to the corresponding 5-(1-ethoxy-2-chloroethyl)- ( 6k ) and 5-(1-ethoxy-2-bromoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 61 ). Reaction of 5-(1-hydroxy-2-bromoethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 3b ) with methanolic ammonia, to remove the 3′,5′-di-O-acetyl groups, gave 2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxy-5-(2′-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-furano2,3-d]pyrimidine-6(5H)-one ( 8 ). In contrast, a similar reaction of 5-(1-fluoro-2-chloroethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine ( 6a ) yielded (E)-5-(2-chlorovinyl)-2′-deoxyuridine ( 1b , 23%) and 5-(2′-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl)furano2,3-d]pyrimidin-6(5H)-one ( 9 , 13%). The mechanisms of the substitution and elimination reactions observed for these 5-(1,2-dihaloethyl)-3′,5′-di-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridines are described.