An efficient reagent for the phosphorylation of deoxyribonucleosides, DNA oligonucleotides, and their thermolytic analogues

[reaction: see text] The phosphoramidite 11 was prepared in three steps from methyl 2-mercaptoacetate and demonstrated efficiency in the synthesis of conventional 5'-/3'-phosphate/thiophosphate monoester derivatives of 2'-deoxyribonucleosides and DNA oligonucleotides. Moreover, the use of 11 has enabled the preparation of the dinucleoside phosphorothioate analogue 26 in high yields (>95%) with minimal cleavage (<2%) of the thermolytic thiophosphate protecting group.