Selective acylation of ribonucleotides and ribonucleosides with acylimidazoles

Selective acylation of ribonucleotides and ribonucleosides can be achieved by using N-acylimidazole on a preparative scale with good yields (50–80%). For uridine 3′-phosphate (Up): in the presence of MDCAI, the 2′-O-acyl-derivative is the main product, while in the presence of an excess of TEAH, the 5′-O-acyl-derivative is the main product. For ribonucleosides (U_R or A_R or ψ_R): in the presence of MDCAI, the acylations take place preferably at 2′-OH or 3′-OH of ribonucleosides and only 3′-O-acyl-derivatives can be isolated by crystallization; in the presence of an excess of TEAH. 5′-O-acyl-derivative is obtained as the main product. Arabinonucleoside and deoxyribonucleoside are only slowly acylated to form 5′-O-acyl-derivatives as the main products by acylimidazole in the presence of MDCAI. Possible mechanisms of these acylations have been discussed.