Oligonucleotide duplexes containing N8-glycosylated 8-aza-7-deazaguanine and self-assembly of 8-aza-7-deazapurines on the nucleoside and the oligomeric level

The 8-aza-7-deazaguanine N8-(2'-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranoside) (1) was synthesized, converted into the phosphoramidite 4 and incorporated into oligonucleotides. Nucleoside 1 forms stable base pairs with 2'-deoxy-5-methylisocytidine in DNA with antiparallel chain orientation (aps) and with 2'-deoxycytidine in duplexes with parallel chains (ps). According to the CD spectra self-complementary oligonucleotides d(1-m5isoC)3 and d(1-C), form autonomous DNA-structures. Neither the nucleoside 1 nor the regularly linked 8-aza-7-deaza-2'-deoxyguanosine form G-like tetrads while the regularly linked 8-aza-7-deaza-2'-deoxyisoguanosine gives higher molecular assemblies which are destroyed by bulky 7-bromo substituents. This was verified on monomeric nucleosides by ESI-MS spectrometry and on oligonucleotides by HPLC analysis.     

Halogenated 7-deazapurine nucleosides: stereoselective synthesis and conformation of 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-beta-D-arabinonucleosides

The stereoselective syntheses of 5-halogenated 7-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine nucleosides 3b-d, 4a-c as well as 7-deaza-2'-deoxyisoguanosine are described. Nucleobase anion glycosylation of 2-amino-4-chloro-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (5) with 3,5-di-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-alpha-D-arabinofuranosyl bromide (6) exclusively gave the beta-D-anomer, which was deblocked (--> 8), aminated at C4 (--> 3a) and selectively deaminated at C2 to yield 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl 7-deazaisoguanine (2). Condensation of the 5-halogenated 4-chloro-2-pivaloylamino-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines 9a-c with 6 furnished the N7-nucleosides 10a-c together with N2,N7-bisglycosylated compounds 11a-c. The former was converted to the corresponding 2,4-diamino-compounds 3b-d, and the latter was deblocked by NaOMe/MeOH to yield the 4-methoxy-nucleosides 4a-c. Conformational analysis of the sugar moiety of the nucleosides 2 and 3a-d was performed on the basis of vicinal [1H,1H] coupling constants. The fluorine atom in the sugar moiety shifts the sugar conformation from S towards N by about 10%, while the halogen substituents in the base moiety increase the hydrophobicity and polarizability of the nucleobases.     

Pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine ribonucleosides related to 2-aminoadenosine and isoguanosine: synthesis, deamination and tautomerism

The syntheses and properties of 8-aza-7-deazapurine (pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine) ribonucleosides related to 2-aminoadenosine and isoguanosine are described. Glycosylation of 8-aza-7-deazapurine-2,6-diamine 5 with 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-beta-D-ribofuranose (12) in the presence of BF(3) x Et(2)O as a catalyst gave the N(8) isomer 14 (73%) with a trace amount of the N(9) isomer 13a (4.8%). Under the same reaction conditions, the 7-halogenated 8-aza-7-deazapurine-2,6-diamines 6-8 afforded the thermodynamically more stable N(9) nucleosides 13b-d as the only products (53-70%). Thus, a halogen in position 7 shifts the glycosylation from N(8) to N(9). The 8-aza-7-deazapurine-4,6-diamine ribonucleosides 1a-d were converted to the isoguanosine derivatives 3a-d by diazotization of the 2-amino group. Although compounds 1a,b do not contain a nitrogen at position 7 (the enzyme binding site), they were deaminated by adenosine deaminase; however, their deamination occurred with a much slower velocity than that of the related purines. The pK(a) values indicate that the 7-non-functionalized nucleosides 1a (pK(a) 5.8) and 15 (pK(a) 6.4) are possibly protonated in neutral conditions when incorporated into RNA. The nucleosides 3a-d exist predominantly in the keto (lactam) form with K(TAUT) (keto/enol) values of 400-1200 compared to 10(3)-10(4) for pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine isoguanosine derivatives 4a-c and 10 for isoguanosine itself, which will reduce RNA mispairing with U.     

pH-Independent triplex formation: hairpin DNA containing isoguanine or 9-deaza-9-propynylguanine in place of protonated cytosine

Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) containing 2'-deoxyisoguanosine (2), 7-bromo-7-deaza-2'-deoxyisoguanosine (2) as well as the propynylated 9-deazaguanine N7-(2'-deoxyribonucleoside) were prepared. For this the phosphoramidites 9a, b of the nucleoside 1 and, the phosphoramidites 19, 20 of compound 3b were synthesized. They were employed in solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis to yield the protected 31-mer oligonucleotides. The deblocking of the allyl-protected oligonucleotides containing 1 was carried out by Pd(0)[PPh3]4-PPh3 followed by 25% aq. NH3. Formation of the 31-mer single-stranded intramolecular triplexes was studied by UV-melting curve analysis. In the single-stranded 31-mer oligonucleotides the protonated dC in the dCH(+)-dG-dC base triad was replaced by 2'-deoxyisoguanosine (1), 7-bromo-7-deaza-2'-deoxyisoguanosine (2) and, 9-deaza-9-propynylguanine N7-(2'-deoxyribonucleoside) (3b). The replacement of protonated dC by compounds 1 and 3b resulted in intramolecular triplexes which are formed pH-independently and are stable under neutral conditions. These triplexes contain "purine" nucleosides in the third pyrimidine rich strand of the oligonucleotide hairpin.     

Artificial genetic systems: exploiting the "aromaticity" formalism to improve the tautomeric ratio for isoguanosine derivatives

The tautomerism of 2'-deoxy-7-deaza-isoguanosine (2) was studied and compared to that of 2'-deoxyisoguanosine (1). The fixed (1)N-methyl (8) and O-methyl (4) derivatives were synthesized to represent the pure extremes of each tautomer. The replacement of the imidazole ring in 1 with a pyrrole ring in 2 makes the keto form in the latter more favored by 2 orders of magnitude (K(TAUT) for 2 approximately 10(3), as opposed to K(TAUT) for 1 approximately 10).     

7-Halogenated 7-Deaza-2′-deoxyinosines

The synthesis of the 7-deaza-2′-deoxyinosine derivatives 3a – c with chloro, bromo, and iodo substituents at position 7 is described. Glycosylation of the 7-halogenated 6-chloro-7-deazapurines 4a – c or of the 7-halogenated 6-chloro-7-deaza-2-(methylthio)purines 9a – c with 2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-(4-toluoyl)-α-D -erythro-pentofuranosyl chloride ( 5 ) furnished the intermediates 7a – c and 11a – c , respectively, which gave, upon deprotection, the desired nucleosides 3a – c .     

7-Functionalized 7-deazapurine ribonucleosides related to 2-aminoadenosine, guanosine, and xanthosine: glycosylation of pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines with 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-D-ribofuranose

[reaction: see text] The Silyl-Hilbert-Johnson reaction as well as the nucleobase-anion glycosylation of a series of 7-deazapurines has been investigated, and the 7-functionalized 7-deazapurine ribonucleosides were prepared. Glycosylation of the 7-halogenated 6-chloro-2-pivaloylamino-7-deazapurines 9b-d with 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-D-ribofuranose (5) gave the beta-D-nucleosides 11b-d (73-75% yield), which were transformed to a number of novel 7-halogenated 7-deazapurine ribonucleosides (2b-d, 3b-d, and 4b-d) related to guanosine, 2-aminoadenosine, and xanthosine. 7-Alkynyl derivatives (2e-i, 3e-h, or 4g) have been prepared from the corresponding 7-iodonucleosides 2d, 3d, or 4d employing the palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. The 7-halogenated 2-amino-7-deazapurine ribonucleosides with a reactive 6-chloro substituent (18b-d) were synthesized in an alternative way using nucleobase-anion glycosylation performed on the 7-halogenated 2-amino-6-chloro-7-deazapurines 13b-d with 5-O-[(1,1-dimethylethyl)dimethylsilyl]-2,3-O-(1-methylethylidene)-alpha-D-ribofuranosyl chloride (17). Compounds 18b-d have been converted to the nucleosides 19b-d carrying reactive substituents in the pyrimidine moiety. Conformational analysis of selected nucleosides on the basis of proton coupling constants and using the program PSEUROT showed that these ribonucleosides exist in a preferred S conformation in solution.     

The C(8)-(2'-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranoside) of 7-deazaguanine: synthesis and base pairing of oligonucleotides with unusually linked nucleobases

The 7-deazaguanine (2-aminopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-one) C(8)-(2'-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranoside) (6b), which possesses an unusual glycosylation site, was synthesized and incorporated in oligonucleotides. The oligonucleotides were prepared by solid-phase synthesis using phosphoramidite chemistry and were hybridized to form duplex DNA. Compound 6b is able to form base pairs with 2'-deoxy-5-methylisocytidine (m(5)isoC(d)) in oligonucleotide duplexes with antiparallel chain orientation and with dC in parallel duplex DNA. Thus, the C(8)-nucleoside 6b shows a similar base recognition as 2'-deoxyisoguanosine but not as 2'-deoxyguanosine. This indicates that the nucleic acid recognition not only depends on the donor-acceptor pattern of the nucleobase but is influenced by the glycosylation site. Base pairs of compound 6b formed with canonical and modified nucleosides are proposed.     

Stabilization of tandem dG-dA base pairs in DNA-hairpins: replacement of the canonical bases by 7-deaza-7-propynylpurines

The stabilizing effect of 7-propynylated 7-deazapurine nucleosides on DNA-hairpins and DNA-duplexes containing d(GA) mismatches was investigated. The corresponding oligonucleotides were synthesized using solid-phase synthesis. For this purpose, the phosphoramidite of 7-deaza-7-propynyl-2'-deoxyadenosine (3c) was prepared. The incorporation of 3c instead of dA into the tandem d(GA) base pair of a DNA-hairpin alters the secondary structure, but has a positive effect on the duplex stability. A complete replacement of the canonical nucleosides of the tandem d(GA) base pair by 3c and 7-deaza-7-propynyl-2'-deoxyguanosine results in a significant base pair stabilization.     

7─羟基喹啉与甲醇、乙醇形成1：2桥式氢键化合物的AM1法研究

利用半经验ＡＭ１方法计算了基态与第一激发态７－羟基喹啉的两种异构体及其与甲醇等溶济分子形成１：２桥式氢键化合物的结构与稳定性。在基态，烯醇式结构比酮式结构稳定；而在第一激发态酮式比烯醇式稳定。１：２桥式氢键的形成使得酮式能量降低比烯醇式多。烯醇式１：２桥式氢键化合物呈交叉式结构，酮式１：２桥式氢键化合物呈折叠式结构，激发态的形成对氢键结构影响不大。在７－羟基喹啉羟基（或羰基）的邻位和间位引入取代基后，对喹啉环和桥式氢键结构的影响均不明显。     

7─羟基喹啉与甲醇、乙醇形成1：2桥式氢键化合物的AM1法研究

利用半经验ＡＭ１方法计算了基态与第一激发态７－羟基喹啉的两种异构体及其与甲醇等溶济分子形成１：２桥式氢键化合物的结构与稳定性。在基态，烯醇式结构比酮式结构稳定；而在第一激发态酮式比烯醇式稳定。１：２桥式氢键的形成使得酮式能量降低比烯醇式多。烯醇式１：２桥式氢键化合物呈交叉式结构，酮式１：２桥式氢键化合物呈折叠式结构，激发态的形成对氢键结构影响不大。在７－羟基喹啉羟基（或羰基）的邻位和间位引入取代基后，对喹啉环和桥式氢键结构的影响均不明显。     

The Base-Pairing Properties of 7-Deaza-2′-deoxyisoguanosine and 2′-Deoxyisoguanosine in Oligonucleotide Duplexes with Parallel and Antiparallel Chain Orientation

Oligonucleotides with parallel (ps) or antiparallel (aps) chain orientation containing 7-deaza-2′-deoxyisoguanosine ( 1 ) or 2′-deoxyisoguanosine ( 2 ) were prepared. The phosphoramidite and phosphonate building blocks 3 – 6 were synthesized and used in solid-phase synthesis. The diphenylcarbamoyl (dpc) residue was used for the 2-oxo group protection and the isobutyryl (iBu=ib) residue for the amino function. Hybridization experiments were performed with oligonucleotides containing 7-deazaisoguanine or isoguanine. Regarding 7-deazapurine-containing oligonucleotides, the 7-deazaisoguanine⋅cytosine base pair was the strongest in ps-duplexes, while that of 7-deazaisoguanine⋅5-methylisocytosine was the most stable one in aps-DNA. Ambiguous base pairing of 7-deazaisoguanine with cytosine, 5-methylisocytosine, thymine, and guanine was observed in the case of aps-duplexes, whereas in ps-duplexes, the ambiguity was extended to adenine. The 7-deazaisoguanine-containing duplexes showed almost identical base-pair stabilities as those containing isoguanine. According to this, various base-pair motifs are proposed. The 7-deaza-2′-deoxyisoguanosine was found to be an effective substitute of 2′-deoxyisoguanosine.     

1,N6-Etheno-7-deaza-2,8-diazaadenosine: syntheses, properties and conversion to 7-deaza-2,8-diazaadenosine

1,N6-Etheno-7-deaza-2,8-diazaadenosine (4) was synthesized from 8-aza-7-deazaadenosine (6) in 64% overall yield. The starting material 6 was obtained by the direct glycosylation of 8-aza-7-deazaadenine (7) with 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-beta-d-ribofuranose (8) (NO2 CH3, BF3 x Et2O; 77% yield). Compound 4 was transformed into 7-deaza-2,8-diazaadenosine (5). The fluorescence of compound 4 shows an emission maximum at 531 nm (phosphate buffer; pH 7.0), which is bathochromically shifted compared to 1,N(6)-etheno-2-azaadenosine (3a) (495 nm). A conformational analysis was performed in the solid state and in solution.     

Regioselective syntheses of 7-nitro-7-deazapurine nucleosides and nucleotides for efficient PCR incorporation

Substitution at the C(7) position of purine nucleotides by a potent electron-withdrawing nitro group facilitates the cleavage of glycosidic bonds under alkaline conditions. This property is useful for sequence-specific cleavage of DNA containing these analogues. Here we describe the preparation of 7-deaza-7-NO(2)-dA and 7-deaza-7-NO(2)-dG using two different approaches, starting from 2'-deoxy-adenosine and 6-chloro-7-deaza-guanine, respectively. These modified nucleosides were converted to nucleotide triphosphates, each of which can replace the corresponding, naturally occurring triphosphate to support PCR amplification. [structure: see text]     

Synthesis and photophysical properties of 7-deaza-2'-deoxyadenosines bearing bipyridine ligands and their Ru(II)-complexes in position 7

The synthesis of the title 7-deazaadenine 2'-deoxyribonucleosides bearing bipyridine, phenanthroline or terpyridine ligands linked to position 7 via an acetylene or phenylene spacer is reported based on aqueous cross-coupling reactions of unprotected 7-iodo-7-deaza-2'-deoxyadenosine with ligand-functionalized acetylenes or boronic acids. The aqueous cross-coupling with acetylene or boronate building blocks containing the Ru(bpy)(3)-type of complex gave the corresponding Ru-containing nucleosides. Photophysical and electrochemical properties were studied and the most efficient type of complex was selected for future luminescent and redox labelling of DNA. The title nucleosides also showed some cytostatic and anti-HCV activities.     

Duplex Stabilization of DNA: Oligonucleotides containing 7-substituted 7-deazaadenines

The oligonucleotide building blocks 4b–d derived from 7-bromo-, 7-chloro-, and 7-methyl-substituted 7-deaza-2′-deoxyadenosines 3b–d were prepared. They were employed in the solid-phase synthesis of the oligonucleotides 7–25 . The dA residues of the homomer d(A₁₂), the alternating d[(A-T)₆], and the palindromic d(G-T-A-G-A-A-T-T-C-T-A-C) were replaced by 3b–d as well as by the parent 7-deaza-2′-deoxyadenosine ( 3a ). The melting profiles and CD spectra of oligonucleotide duplexes, showing this major groove modification, were measured, and the T_m values as well as the thermodynamic data were determined. It was found that small substituents such as Br, Cl, or Me introduced in the 7-position of a 7-deazaadenine residue increase the duplex stability compared to oligonucleotides containing adenine.     

Synthesis of 4-hydroxy-7-dimethylamino-3-pyrazolinylcoumarins and their polarity-sensitive properties

Four 4-hydroxy-3-pyrazolinylcoumarin derivatives were synthesized and their UV–vis spectra in various compositions of MeOH and CH₂Cl₂ were measured. Among the prepared compounds, only one was found to exist mainly in the enol form in nonpolar solvents and the keto form in protic solvents, whereas the others are exclusively present in the enol forms regardless of solvent polarity. This polarity-sensitive property of 3-pyrazolinylcoumarins can be controlled by the electronic nature of the substituent at the 7-position of coumarin, the 1-position (nitrogen atom) of pyrazoline as well as the para-position of the benzene moiety.     

13C-labeled N-acetyl-neuraminic acid in aqueous solution: detection and quantification of acyclic keto, keto hydrate, and enol forms by 13C NMR spectroscopy

Aqueous solutions of N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Ac, 1) labeled with (13)C at C1, C2, and/or C3 were analyzed by (13)C NMR spectroscopy to detect and quantify the acyclic forms (keto, keto hydrate, enol) present at varying pHs. In addition to pyranoses, solutions contained the keto form, based on the detection of C2 signals at approximately 198 ppm (approximately 0.7% at pH 2). Spectra of [2-(13)C] and [3-(13)C] isotopomers contained signals arising from labeled carbons at approximately 143 and approximately 120 ppm, respectively, which were attributed to enol forms. Solution studies of [1,2,3-(13)C3] 1 substantiated the presence of enol (approximately 0.5% at pH 2). Enol was not detected at pH > 6.0. A C2 signal observed at approximately 94 ppm was identified as C2 of the keto hydrate (approximately 1.9% at pH 2), based partly on its abundance as a function of solution pH. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to study the effect of enol and hydrate structure on J(CH) and J(CC) values involving C2 and C3 of these forms. Solvated DFT calculations showed that (2)J(C2,H3) in cis and trans enols have similar magnitudes but opposite signs, making this J-coupling potentially useful to distinguish enol configurations. Solvent deuterium exchange studies of 1 showed rapid incorporation of (2)H from (2)H2O at H3 axial in the pyranoses at p(2)H 8.0, followed by slower exchange at H3 equatorial. The acyclic keto form, which presumably participates in this reaction, must assume a pseudo-cyclic conformation in solution in order to account for the exchange selectivity. Weak (13)C signals arising from labeled species were also observed consistently and reproducibly in aqueous solutions of (13)C-labeled 1, possibly arising from products of lactonization or intermolecular esterification.     

Excited state properties of 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin in the gas phase and in solution. A theoretical study

TDDFT/B3LYP and RI-CC2 calculations with different basis sets have been performed for vertical and adiabatic excitations and emission properties of the lowest singlet states for the neutral (enol and keto), protonated and deprotonated forms of 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (7H4MC) in the gas phase and in solution. The effect of 7H4MC-solvent (water) interactions on the lowest excited and fluorescence states were computed using the Polarizable Continuum Method (PCM), 7H4MC-water clusters and a combination of both approaches. The calculations revealed that in aqueous solution the pi pi* energy is the lowest one for excitation and fluorescence transitions of all forms of 7H4MC studied. The calculated excitation and fluorescence energies in aqueous solution are in good agreement with experiment. It was found that, depending on the polarity of the medium, the solvent shifts vary, leading to a change in the character of the lowest excitation and fluorescence transition. The dipole-moment and electron-density changes of the excited states relative to the ground state correlate with the solvation effect on the singlet excited states and on transition energies, respectively. The calculations show that, in contrast to the ground state, the keto form has a lower energy in the pi pi* state as compared to enol, demonstrating from this point of view the energetic possibility of proton transfer from the enol to the keto form in the excited state.     

A thermochemistry and kinetic study on the thermal decomposition of ethoxyquinoline and ethoxyisoquinoline

Quantum chemical calculations were used to study the production of ethylene and keto/enol tautomers from ethoxyquinoline (2‐EQ) and ethoxyisoquinoline (1‐EisoQ and 3‐EisoQ) in the gas phase and ethanol at the MP2/6‐311++G(2d,2p)//BMK/6‐31+G(d,p) level. The obtained data indicate that the elimination of ethylene from 1‐EisoQ and 2‐EQ is slightly more favorable than from 3‐EisoQ. Formation of quinolone and isoquinolone (2‐EQO, 1‐EisoQO, and 3‐EisoQO) is kinetically favored compared to their enols. Decomposition of 2‐EQ and 1‐EisoQ to ethylene and keto forms is thermodynamically and kinetically preferable more stable than the corresponding enols. However, the hydroxy form of 3‐EisoQ is more stable than its keto tautomer in the gas phase and ethanol. The enol tautomers cost less energy when formed from their keto forms rather than from the parent ethoxyquinolone and ethoxyisoquinoline.