On the design of polymeric 5′-O-ester prodrugs of 3′-azido-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (AZT)

A new 5′-O-AZT prodrug was synthesized by conjugating 3′-azido-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (AZT) with poly(oxyethylene H-phosphonate) at room temperature under Atherton-Todd reaction conditions. The acute toxicity of poly(5′-O-AZT-oxyethylene phosphate) was reduced significantly in comparison with non-immobilized AZT.     

Synthesis and anti-HIV activities of bis-(cycloSaligenyl) pronucleotides derivatives of 3′-fluoro-3′-deoxythymidine and 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine

Anti-HIV nucleoside monophosphates have limited cellular uptake due to the presence of negatively-charged phosphate group. Bis-(cycloSaligenyl) derivatives containing two anti-HIV nucleosides, 3′-fluoro-3′-deoxythymidine (FLT) and 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) were synthesized to increase intracellular delivery of nucleoside monophosphates. 2,5-Bis(hydroxymethylene)benzene-1,4-diol was selected as a monocyclic bidentate scaffold and synthesized by three different methods from bis(hydroxymethylene)cyclohexan-1,4-diene-1,4-diol, or diethyl 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalate. The reaction of the tetraol with diisopropylphosphoramidous dichloride in the presence of 2,6-lutidine, followed by conjugation reactions with nucleosides (i.e., FLT and AZT) and oxidation afforded symmetrical and unsymmetrical bis-(cycloSaligenyl) diphosphate triester products, AZT-AZT, FLT-FLT, and FLT-AZT conjugates, in 63-74% overall yields and modest anti-HIV activities (IC₅₀ = 2.8-69.6 μM).     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 5′-O-Fatty Acyl Ester Derivatives of 3′-Fluoro-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine as Potential Anti-HIV Microbicides

A number of 5′-O-fatty acyl derivatives of 3′-fluoro-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (FLT, 1) were synthesized. These conjugates were evaluated for their potential as topical microbicides with anti-HIV activity against cell-free (X4 and R5), cell-associated, and multidrug-resistant viruses. Compared to FLT and 3′-azido-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (AZT), 5′-O-(12-azidododecanoyl) (5), 5′-O-myristoyl (6), and 5′-O-(12-thioethyldodecanoyl) (8) derivatives of FLT were found to be more active against both cell-free viruses (lymphocytotropic and monocytotropic strains) with EC₅₀ values of 0.4 μM, 1.1 μM, and <0.2 μM, respectively, as well as cell-associated virus with EC₅₀ values of 12.6, 6.4, and 2.3 μM, respectively. Conjugates 5, 6, and 8 exhibited >4 and >30 times better antiviral index than FLT and AZT, respectively. Conjugates 5 and 8 were significantly more potent than FLT against many multidrug-resistant strains. A comparison of the anti-HIV activity with the corresponding non-hydrolyzable ether conjugates suggested that ester hydrolysis to FLT and fatty acids is critical to enable anti-HIV activity. Cellular uptake studies were conducted using fluorescent derivatives of FLT attached with 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein through either β-alanine (23) or 12-aminododecanoic acid (24) spacers. The lipophilic fluorescent analog with a long chain (24) showed more than 12 times higher cellular uptake profile than the fluorescent analog with a short chain (23). These studies further confirmed that the attachment of fatty acids improved the cellular uptake of nucleoside conjugates. In addition, 5, 6, and 8 were the least cytotoxic and did not alter vaginal cell and sperm viability compared to the positive control, a commercial topical spermicide (N-9), which significantly decreased sperm and vaginal cell viability inducing the generation of proinflammatory cytokines.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 5′-O-dicarboxylic fatty acyl monoester derivatives of anti-HIV nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors

A number of 5′-O-dicarboxylic fatty acyl monoester derivatives of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (zidovudine, AZT), 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (stavudine, d4T), and 3′-fluoro-3′-deoxythymidine (alovudine, FLT) were synthesized to improve the lipophilicity and potentially the cellular delivery of parent polar 2′,3′-dideoxynucleoside (ddN) analogs. The compounds were evaluated for their anti-HIV activity. Three different fatty acids with varying chain length of suberic acid (octanedioic acid), sebacic acid (decanedioic acid), and dodecanedioic acid were used for the conjugation with the nucleosides. The compounds were evaluated for anti-HIV activity and cytotoxicity. All dicarboxylic ester conjugates of nucleosides exhibited significantly higher anti-HIV activity than that of the corresponding parent nucleoside analogs. Among all the tested conjugates, 5′-O-suberate derivative of AZT (EC₅₀ = 0.10 nM) was found to be the most potent compound and showed 80-fold higher anti-HIV activity than AZT without any significant toxicity (TC₅₀ >500 nM).     

2′,3′,4′,5′-Tetraacetyl-N(3)-carboxymethylriboflavin derivatives: synthesis and fluorescence studies

The hitherto not described 2′,3′,4′,5′-tetraacetyl-N(3)-carboxymethylriboflavin (1) could be prepared starting from 2′,3′,4′,5′-tetraacetylriboflavin by alkylation with tert-butyl α-bromoacetate and benzyl α-bromoacetate, followed by deprotection reaction. The results of fluorescence studies are described.     

Novel and efficient syntheses of 3′,5′-diamino derivatives of 2′,3′,5′-trideoxycytidine and 2′,3′,5′-trideoxyadenosine. Protonation behavior of 3′,5′-diaminonucleosides

High yielding synthetic routes to 3′,5′-diamino-2′,3′,5′-trideoxycytidine and 3′,5′-diamino-2′,3′,5′-trideoxyadenosine are described. In addition, the protonation behavior of 3′,5′-diamino-2′,3′,5′-trideoxycytidine, 3′,5′-diamino-2′,3′,5′-trideoxyadenosine, 3′,5′-diamino-3′,5′-dideoxythymidine, and 3′,5′-diamino-2′,3′,5′-trideoxyuridine has been studied by means of pH-metric measurements and NMR spectroscopy. The ionization constants and the sequence of protonation sites have been determined.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of 1-alkyl-2,4,6-trioxoperhydropyrimidine-5-spiro-3′-(1′,2′,3′,4′-tetrahydroquinolines)

Knoevenagel products formed by the condensation of N-monoalkyl barbituric acids with o-tert-amino benzaldehydes undergo tert-amino effect reactions (T-reactions) yielding 1-alkyl-2,4,6-trioxoperhydropyrimidine-5-spiro-3′-(1′,2′,3′,4′-tetrahydroquinoline) derivatives as a mixture of (S^∗,S^∗)- and (S^∗,R^∗)-diastereomers. Mostly, the major diastereomer has the S^∗,S^∗-configuration. According to X-ray diffraction data in the solid form and NOE data in solution, diastereoselectivity of the T-reactions can be associated with the structure of the Knoevenagel products whose conformation is fixed by the strong intramolecular C-H?π interaction.     

5′-Epimeric 3′-deoxy-3′,4′-didehydronucleoside-5′-C-phosphonates: synthesis and structural assignment by NMR and X-ray analyses

Epimeric 5′-(RS) dialkyl 3′-deoxy-3′,4′-didehydro-5′-C-phosphonates were prepared by nucleophilic addition of various dialkyl phosphites to 3′-deoxy-3′,4′-didehydronucleoside-5′-aldehydes. Whereas direct NMR configuration assignment for the C5′ atom bearing the phosphoryl and hydroxy groups using the J (P,H4′) and J (H5′,H4′) coupling constants is impossible due to the absence of the H4′ atom, successful separation, crystallisation and X-ray crystallographic analysis of a pair of epimeric 5′-C-phosphonates, followed by correlation with a series of NMR parameters, led to efficacious configuration assignment of individual epimers in the mixtures.     

Highly efficient synthesis of 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxy-β-nucleosides through a sulfur-mediated reductive 2′,3′-trans-elimination. From iodomethylcyclopropanes to thiirane analogs

Taking into account the thiophilic properties of iodine, a very simple methodology to achieve 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxy-β-nucleosides in high yield was performed, using mild, and inexpensive conditions, by means of the treatment of 2′-deoxy-3′,5′-dibenzoyl-2′-iodo-β-nucleoside derivatives with NaHS. The process has shown to be highly dependent of the relative geometry between the iodine atom and the adjacent leaving group. In this way, different essays carried out with pyranose derivatives have concluded in no reaction when the vicinal groups to eliminate do not adopt a trans-diaxial disposition. In addition, the treatment of 2-iodomethyl-cyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester under the same conditions softly and readily leads to the obtention of a mixture of the expected 2-allyl-malonic acid diethyl ester (as the minor product) and the thiirane derivative 2-thiiranylmethyl-malonic acid diethyl ester (as the major product). In this case, the responsible of the reaction progress are the nucleophilic properties of the sulfur atom rather than the thiophilic character of the iodine atom.     

The synthesis and properties of ferroceno[1′,2′;1″,2″]bis(1,3-dithiol-2-thione and -2-one) derivatives

The t-butyl and bis(t-butyl) derivatives of hexathia[3.3]ferrocenophane were prepared from the corresponding trithia[3]ferrocenophanes. The former was a mixture of chair-chair and chair-boat isomers, and the latter existed only chair-boat isomer. The hexathia[3.3]ferrocenophanes were led to the tetrathiols with LiAlH₄, which allowed to react with 1,1′-thiocarbonyldiimidazol to give the corresponding ferroceno[1′,2′;1″,2″]bis(1,3-dithiol-2-thione) derivatives. Mono t-butyl and unsubstituted analogs were prepared in a similar manner. The X-ray structural determination showed that these derivatives adopted the conformation in which the 1,3-dithiol-2-thione rings were heaped on top of each other. In the crystal of ferroceno[1′,2′;1″,2″]bis(1,3-dithiol-2-thione), the molecules packed so as to put the axis of molecule in order and to overlap one another above and below. The desulfurizative coupling of the ferroceno[1′,2′;1″,2″]bis(1,3-dithiol-2-thione) derivatives was unsuccessful.     

Synthesis of a series of novel 2′,3′-dideoxy-6′,6′-difluoro-3′-thionucleosides

A series of novel 2′,3′-dideoxy-6′,6′-difluoro-3′-thionucleosides 1a-d, analogues of 3TC that has high biological activities against HIV and HBV, have been synthesized from the gem-difluorohomoallyl amine 7 in a straightforward fashion. Our synthesis featured the construction of thiofuranose skeleton through ring closure of key intermediates and installation of pyrimidine ring with amino group in compounds 13a,b.     

Radical-based transformation of vicinal diols to olefins via thioxocarbamate derivatives: a simple approach to 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxynucleosides

The bis-O-thioxocarbamate derivatives obtained from the reaction of vicinal diols with phenyl isothiocyanate are shown to be reduced with tris(trimethylsilyl)silane in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile to afford the corresponding olefins in good yields. In this way, 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxy analogs of adenosine, guanosine, inosine, cytidine and uridine were prepared by the radical-based deoxygenation of the corresponding ribonucleosides via the bis-O-thioxocarbamate derivatives.     

A novel one-pot and efficient procedure for the synthesis of 3H-spiro[isobenzofuran-1,6′-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine]-2′,3,4′,5′-tetraones

A novel and practical one-pot procedure is described for the preparation of several new of 3H-spiro[isobenzofuran-1,6′-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine]-2′,3,4′,5′-tetraones based on the addition reaction of ninhydrin and 6-aminouracils followed by oxidative cleavage of their corresponding dihydroxyindenopyrrolopyrimidines.     

3′-Selective modification of a 4′,5′-didehydro-5′-deoxy-2′,3′-epoxyuridine using nucleophiles

1-(2,3-Anhydro-5-deoxy-4,5-didehydro-α-l-erythro-pent-4-enofuranosyl)uracil 4 was obtained by the treatment of 5′-iodo-2′,3′-epoxyuridine 5 with LiHMDS in excellent yield. The pyrimidine nucleoside 4 possesses quite unique vinyl epoxide moiety within the molecules. The reactions of 4 with a variety of nucleophiles gave 3′-substituted pyrimidine nucleosides without the formation of the corresponding 2′-substituted isomers. In the case of NaN₃ or PhSH, the corresponding 5′-adduct was obtained as a minor product together with the expected 3′-adduct.     

Straightforward synthesis of 3′-deoxy-3′,4′-didehydronucleoside-5′-aldehydes via 2′,3′-O-orthoester group elimination: a simple route to 3′,4′-didehydronucleosides

Straightforward, high-yielding syntheses of 3′-deoxy-3′,4′-didehydronucleoside-5′-aldehydes and 3′-deoxy-3′,4′-didehydronucleosides starting from 2′,3′-O-orthoester derivatives of ribonucleosides are described.     

Synthesis of 2′,3′-dideoxy-6′,6′-difluoro-3′-azanucleosides

The straightforward synthesis of four novel 2′,3′-dideoxy-6′,6′-difluoro-3′-azanucleosides 1a-d is described. Efficient construction of the fluorine-containing pyrrolidine ring through two different ways and installation of pyrimidine rings using the amino groups in the intermediates 12, 26 were the key steps of our synthesis.     

A facile synthesis of fused aromatic spiroacetals based on the 3,4,3′,4′-tetrahydro-2,2′-spirobis(2H-1-benzopyran) skeleton

The facile synthesis of a series of aromatic 6,6-spiroacetals based on the parent 3,4,3′,4′-tetrahydro-2,2′-spirobis(2H-1-benzopyran) heterocyclic system is reported. Key steps included the use of a Sonogashira coupling for the synthesis of an aryl acetylene that was coupled to an aryl aldehyde to form a propargyl alcohol intermediate. Hydrogenation of the alkynol followed by oxidation produced a masked dihydroxy ketone that upon treatment with trimethylsilyl bromide underwent deprotection and cyclisation to the fused aromatic spiroacetal.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of novel adenosine carbanucleoside analogues containing a locked 3′-methyl-2′,3′-β-oxirane-fused system

Starting from a readily available enantiopure building block, a straightforward enantioselective approach to 3′-methyl-2′,3′-β-oxirane-fused carbanucleosides bearing adenosine analogues is detailed. The key steps in the syntheses involved a lipase-catalyzed regioselective monoacylation of a diol to obtain the key intermediate and direct coupling of this key intermediate with diversely substituted purine nucleobases under Mitsunobu reaction conditions providing only the N⁹ target molecules.     

A practical synthesis of 2′-aminoacylamino-2′-deoxyadenosines

A practical and efficient synthesis of 2′-aminoacylamino-2′-deoxyadenosine derivatives is reported. EDCI/HOBt-mediated coupling of a 3′,5′-diprotected 2′-amino-2′-deoxyadenosine derivative to various N-Cbz-l-amino acid derivatives followed by global deprotection affords analytically pure 2′-aminoacylamino-2′-deoxyadenosine derivatives without the necessity for preparative HPLC purification. These compounds are non-hydrolysable isosteres of 2′-aminoacyladenosines, which are of use in X-ray studies for the elucidation of the editing mechanism of various tRNA synthetases.     

Difluorocarbene chemistry: synthesis of gem-difluorocyclopropenylalkynes and 3,3,3′,3′-tetrafluorobicyclopropyl-1,1′-dienes

A series of gem-difluorocyclopropenylalkynes are easily obtained in good yields by the Sonogashira reaction of 3,3-difluoro-1-iodocyclopropenes with terminal alkynes. Onto these new alkynes addition of difluorocarbene, generated from the decomposition of FSO₂CF₂COOTMS in diglme in the presence of 10 mol% anhydrous NaF at 120 °C, gives 3,3,3′,3′-tetrafluorobicyclopropyl-1,1′-dienes. Acid hydrolysis of gem-difluorocyclopropenylalkynes in refluxing CH₃OH affords the corresponding methoxycarbonylenynes.