Enantioselective Syntheses of Conformationally Rigid,Highly Lipophilic Mesityl‐Substituted Amino Acids

Three N‐Boc‐protected amino acids substituted with a mesityl (=2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl) group were synthesized in enantiomerically pure form, either by asymmetric epoxidation or by aminohydroxylation as the source of chirality. The 3‐mesityloxirane‐2‐methanol 7 , easily available in high enantiomer purity by Sharpless epoxidation, was converted into 3‐{[(tert‐butoxy)carbonyl]amino}‐3‐mesitylpropane‐1,2‐diol 9 by a regio‐ and stereoselective ring opening with an ammonia equivalent (sodium azide or benzhydrylamine), followed by hydrogenation and in situ treatment with (Boc)₂O (Boc=[(tert‐butoxy)carbonyl]) (Scheme 3). Oxidative cleavage of the diol fragment in 9 afforded N‐[(tert‐butoxy)carbonyl]‐α‐mesitylglycine 1 of >99% ee. This amino acid was also prepared in enantiomerically pure form starting from 2,4,6‐trimethylstyrene ( 11 ) by a regioselective Sharpless asymmetric aminohydroxylation, followed by a 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐yloxyl (TEMPO)‐catalyzed oxidation (Scheme 4). On the other hand, 1‐[(tert‐butoxy)carbonyl]‐2‐{{[(tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy}methyl}‐3‐mesitylaziridine 14 was prepared from 9 by a sequence involving selective protection of the primary alcohol (as a silyl ether), activation of the secondary alcohol as a mesylate, and base‐induced (NaH) cyclization (Scheme 5). The reductive cleavage of the aziridine ring (H₂, Pd/C), followed by alcohol deprotection (Bu₄NF/THF) and oxidation (pyridinium dichromate (PDC)/DMF or (TEMPO)/NaClO) provided, in high yield and enantiomeric purity, N‐[(tert‐butoxy)carbonyl]‐β‐mesitylalanine 2 . Alternatively, the regioselective ring opening of the aziridine ring of 14 with lithium dimethylcuprate, followed by silyl‐ether cleavage and oxidation lead to N‐[(tert‐butoxy)carbonyl]‐β‐mesityl‐β‐methylalanine 3 . A conformational study of the methyl esters of the N‐Boc‐protected amino acids 1 and 3 carried out by variable‐temperature ¹H‐NMR and semi‐empirical (AM1) calculations shows the strong rotational restriction imposed by the mesityl group.     

Novel Fluoride‐Labile Nucleobase‐Protecting Groups for the Synthesis of 3′(2′)‐O‐Aminoacylated RNA Sequences

With the aim to develop a general approach to a total synthesis of aminoacylated t‐RNAs and analogues, we describe the synthesis of stabilized, aminoacylated RNA fragments, which, upon ligation, could lead to aminoacylated t‐RNA structures. Novel RNA phosphoramidites with fluoride‐labile 2′‐O‐[(triisopropylsilyl)oxy]methyl (=tom) sugar‐protecting and N‐{{2‐[(triisopropylsilyl)oxy]benzyl}oxy}carbonyl (=tboc) base‐protecting groups were prepared (Schemes 4 and 5), as well as a solid support containing an immobilized N⁶‐tboc‐protected adenosine with an orthogonal (photolabile) 2′‐O‐[(S)‐1‐(2‐nitrophenyl)ethoxy]methyl (=(S)‐npeom) group (Scheme 6). From these building blocks, a hexameric oligoribonucleotide was prepared by automated synthesis under standard conditions (Scheme 7). After the detachment from the solid support, the resulting fully protected sequence 34 was aminoacylated with L ‐phenylalanine derivatives carrying photolabile N‐protecting groups (→ 42 and 43 ; Scheme 9). Upon removal of the fluoride‐labile sugar‐ and nucleobase‐protecting groups, the still stabilized, partially with the photolabile group protected precursors 44 and 45 , respectively, of an aminoacylated RNA sequence were obtained (Scheme 9 and Fig. 3). Photolysis of 45 under mild conditions resulted in the efficient formation of the 3′(2′)‐O‐aminoacylated RNA sequence 46 (Fig. 4). Additionally, we carried out model investigations concerning the stability of ester bonds of aminoacylated ribonucleotide derivatives under acidic conditions (Table) and established conditions for the purification and handling of 3′(2′)‐O‐aminoacylated RNA sequences and their stabilized precursors.     

New Protected Protecting Groups for the 5′‐Hydroxy Group of Deoxynucleosides by Use of 2‐(Hydroxymethyl)‐ and 2‐[(Methylamino)methyl]benzoyl Skeletons and Oxidatively Cleavable Tritylthio and (4‐Methoxytrityl)thio Groups

The new protecting groups 1a , b and 2a , b were developed for the 5′‐OH group of deoxynucleosides by utilizing the unique characters of the sulfenate and sulfenamide linkage. These new protecting groups have a 2‐(hydroxymethyl)benzoyl or 2‐[(methylamino)methyl]benzoyl skeleton whose hydroxy O‐atom or amino N‐atom was blocked with a tritylthio‐type substituent. They are removable by intramolecular cyclization following the oxidative hydrolysis of the tritylthio‐type substituents under mildly oxidative conditions (Schemes 3 and 6). Among them, 2‐{{[(4‐methoxytrityl)sulfenyl]oxy}methyl}benzoyl (MOB; 2b ) was found to be the most preferable for protection of the 5′‐OH function of deoxynucleosides. MOB can be introduced at the 5′‐OH groups of various deoxynucleosides without the protection of the 3′‐OH functions (Scheme 5). The applicability of the MOB group to a new oligodeoxynucleotide synthesis protocol without acid treatment was demonstrated by the solid‐phase synthesis of a tetrathymidylate (Scheme 8).     

An Efficient Synthesis of 3′‐Amino‐3′‐deoxyguanosine from Guanosine

3′‐Amino‐3′‐deoxyguanosine was synthesized from guanosine in eight steps and 58% overall yield. The 2′,3′‐diol of 5′‐O‐[(tert‐butyl)diphenylsilyl]‐2‐N‐[(dimethylamino)methylidene]guanosine was reacted with α‐acetoxyisobutyryl bromide and treated with 0.5n NH₃ in MeOH to yield 9‐{2′‐O‐acetyl‐3′‐bromo‐5′‐O‐[(tert‐butyl)diphenylsilyl]‐3′‐deoxy‐β‐D ‐xylofuranosyl]‐2‐N‐[(dimethylamino)methylidene]guanine, which was reacted with benzyl isocyanate, NaH, and then 3.0n NaOH, and finally with Pd/C (10%) and HCO₂NH₄ in EtOH/AcOH to afford 3′‐amino‐3′‐deoxyguanosine.     

An Improved Preparation of D‐Glyceraldehyde 3‐Phosphate and Its Use in the Synthesis of 1‐Deoxy‐D‐xylulose 5‐Phosphate

D ‐Glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate (=D ‐GAP; 2 ) was prepared by an improved chemical method (Scheme 2), and it was then employed to synthesize 1‐deoxy‐D ‐xylulose 5‐phosphate (=DXP; 3 ) which is enzymatically one of the key intermediates in the MEP ( 4 ) terpenoid biosynthetic pathway (Scheme 1). The recombinant DXP synthase of Rhodobacter capsulatus was used to catalyze the condensation of D ‐glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate ( 2 ) and pyruvate (=2‐oxopropanoate; 1 ) to produce the sugar phosphate 3 (Scheme 2). The simple two‐step chemoenzymatic route described affords DXP ( 3 ) with more than 70% overall yield and higher than 95% purity. The procedure may also be used for the synthesis of isotope‐labeled DXP ( 3 ) by using isotope‐labeled pyruvate.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of 8‐Oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane‐2,3,4,6,7‐pentols and Total Asymmetric Synthesis of 2,6‐Anhydrohepturonic Acid Derivatives and of β‐C‐manno‐Pyranosides Suitable for the Construction of (1→3)‐C,C‐Linked Trisaccharides

Enantiomerically pure (+)‐(1S,4S,5S,6S)‐6‐endo‐(benzyloxy)‐5‐exo‐{[(tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy}‐7‐oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan‐2‐one ((+)‐ 5 ) and its enantiomer (−)‐ 5 , obtained readily from the Diels‐Alder addition of furan to 1‐cyanovinyl acetate, can be converted with high stereoselectivity into 8‐oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane‐2,3,4,6,7‐pentol derivatives (see 23 – 28 in Scheme 2). A precursor of them, (1R,2S,4R,5S,6S,7R,8R)‐7‐endo‐(benzyloxy)‐8‐exo‐hydroxy‐3,9‐dioxatricyclo[4.2.1.0^2,4]non‐5‐endo‐yl benzoate ((−)‐ 19 ), is transformed into (1R,2R,5S, 6S,7R,8S)‐6‐exo,8‐endo‐bis(acetyloxy)‐2‐endo‐(benzyloxy)‐4‐oxo‐3,9‐dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]non‐7‐endo‐yl benzoate ((−)‐ 43 ) (see Scheme 5). The latter is the precursor of several protected 2,6‐anhydrohepturonic acid derivatives such as the diethyl dithioacetal (−)‐ 57 of methyl 3,5‐di‐O‐acetyl‐2,6‐anhydro‐4‐O‐benzoyl‐D ‐glycero‐D ‐galacto‐hepturonate (see Schemes 7 and 8). Hydrolysis of (−)‐ 57 provides methyl 3,5‐di‐O‐acetyl‐2,6‐anhydro‐4‐O‐benzoyl‐D ‐glycero‐D ‐galacto‐hepturonate 48 that undergoes highly diastereoselective Nozaki‐Oshima condensation with the aluminium enolate resulting from the conjugate addition of Me₂AlSPh to (1S,5S,6S,7S)‐7‐endo‐(benzyloxy)‐6‐exo‐{[(tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy}‐8‐oxabicyclo[3.2.1]oct‐3‐en‐2‐one ((−)‐ 13 ) derived from (+)‐ 5 (Scheme 12). This generates a β‐C‐mannopyranoside, i.e., methyl (7S)‐3,5‐di‐O‐acetyl‐2,6‐anhydro‐4‐O‐benzoyl‐7‐C‐[(1R,2S,3R,4S,5R,6S,7R)‐6‐endo‐(benzyloxy)‐7‐exo‐{[(tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy}‐4‐endo‐hydroxy‐2‐exo‐(phenylthio)‐8‐oxabicyclo[3.2.1]oct‐3‐endo‐yl]‐L ‐glycero‐D ‐manno‐heptonate ((−)‐ 70 ; see Scheme 12), that is converted into the diethyl dithioacetal (−)‐ 75 of methyl 3‐O‐acetyl‐2,6‐anhydro‐4,5‐dideoxy‐4‐C‐{[methyl (7S)‐3,5,7‐tri‐O‐acetyl‐2,6‐anhydro‐4‐O‐benzoyl‐L ‐glycero‐D ‐manno‐heptonate]‐7‐C‐yl}‐5‐C‐(phenylsulfonyl)‐L ‐glycero‐D ‐galacto‐hepturonate ( 76 ; see Scheme 13). Repeating the Nozaki‐Oshima condensation to enone (−)‐ 13 and the aldehyde resulting from hydrolysis of (−)‐ 75 , a (1→3)‐C,C‐linked trisaccharide precursor (−)‐ 77 is obtained.     

Synthesis and Pairing Properties of 3′‐Deoxyribopyranose (4′→2′)‐Oligonucleotides (‘p‐DNA')

The preparation and the pairing properties of the new 3′‐deoxyribopyranose (4′→2′)‐oligonucleotide (=p‐DNA) pairing system, based on 3′‐deoxy‐β‐D ‐ribopyranose nucleosides is presented. D ‐Xylose was efficiently converted to the prefunctionalized 3‐deoxyribopyranose derivative 4‐O‐[(tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl]‐3‐deoxy‐D ‐ribopyranose 1,2‐diacetate 8 (obtained as a 4 : 1 mixture of α‐ and β‐D ‐anomers; Scheme 1). From this sugar building block, the corresponding, appropriately protected thymine, guanine, 5‐methylcytosine, and purine‐2,6‐diamine nucleoside phosphoramidites 29 – 32 were prepared in a minimal number of steps (Schemes 2–4). These building blocks were assembled on a DNA synthesizer, and the corresponding p‐DNA oligonucleotides were obtained in good yields after a one‐step deprotection under standard conditions, followed by HPLC purification (Scheme 5 and Table 1). Qualitatively, p‐DNA shows the same pairing behavior as p‐RNA, forming antiparallel, exclusively Watson‐Crick‐paired duplexes that are much stronger than corresponding DNA duplexes. Duplex stabilities within the three related (i.e., based on ribopyranose nucleosides) oligonucleotide systems p‐RNA, p‐DNA, and 3′‐O‐Me‐p‐RNA were compared with each other (Table 2). Intrinsically, p‐RNA forms the strongest duplexes, followed by p‐DNA, and 3′‐O‐Me‐p‐RNA. However, by introducing the nucleobases purine‐2,6‐diamine (D) and 5‐methylcytosine (M) instead of adenine and cytosine, a substantial increase in stability of corresponding p‐DNA duplexes was observed.     

The 5‐Methylisocytosine β‐D‐Ribopyranosyl (4′ → 2′)‐Oligonucleotide

In the context of Eschenmoser's work on pyranosyl‐RNA (‘p‐RNA’), we investigated the synthesis and base‐pairing properties of the 5‐methylisocytidine derivative. The previously determined clear‐cut restrictions of base‐pairing modes of p‐RNA had led to the expectation that a 5‐methylisocytosine β‐D ‐ribopyranosyl (= D ‐pr(^MeisoC)) based (4′ → 2′)‐oligonucleotide would pair inter alia with D ‐pr(isoG) and L ‐pr(G) based oligonucleotides (D ‐pr and L ‐pr = pyranose form of D ‐ and L ‐ribose, resp.). Remarkably, we could not observe pairing with the D ‐pr(isoG) oligonucleotide but only with the L ‐pr(G) oligonucleotide. Our interpretation concludes that this – at first hand surprising – observation is caused by a change in the nucleosidic torsion angle specific for isoC.     

The First Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Naturally Occurring,Bioactive (3R,5R)‐1‐(4‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐7‐phenylheptane‐3,5‐diol and the Synthesis of Its Enantiomer

The first stereoselective total synthesis of the naturally occurring anti‐emetic diarylheptanoid (3R,5R)‐1‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐7‐phenylheptane‐3,5‐diol ( 1 ) was accomplished starting from 4‐hydroxybenzaldehyde and involving a Sharpless kinetic resolution and an asymmetric epoxidation as the key steps (Scheme 2). The enantiomer 1a of this compound was also simultaneously prepared.     

Synthesis of the Anticodon Hairpin tRNAfMet Containing N‐{[9‐(β‐D‐Ribofuranosyl)‐9H‐purin‐6‐yl]carbamoyl}‐L‐threonine (=N6‐{{[(1S,2R)‐1‐Carboxy‐2‐hydroxypropyl]amino}carbonyl}adenosine,t6A)

As part of our studies on the structure of yeast ^tRNA_f^Met, we investigated the incorporation of N‐{[9‐(β‐D ‐ribofuranosyl)‐9H‐purin‐6‐yl]carbamoyl}‐L ‐threonine (t⁶A) in the loop of a RNA 17‐mer hairpin. The carboxylic function of the L ‐threonine moiety of t⁶A was protected with a 2‐(4‐nitrophenyl)ethyl group, and a (tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl group was used for the protection of its secondary OH group. The 2′‐OH function of the standard ribonucleotide building blocks was protected with a [(triisopropylsilyl)oxy]methyl group. Removal of the base‐labile protecting groups of the final RNA with 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) and then with MeNH₂ was done under carefully controlled conditions to prevent hydrolysis of the carbamate function, leading to loss of the L ‐threonine moiety.     

Synthesis of 2′‐O‐[(Triisopropylsilyl)oxy]methyl (= tom)‐Protected Ribonucleoside Phosphoramidites Containing Various Nucleobase Analogues

The first results of a study aiming at an efficient preparation of a large variety of 2′‐O‐[(triisopropylsilyl)oxy]methyl(= tom)‐protected ribonucleoside phosphoramidite building blocks containing modified nucleobases are reported. All of the here presented nucleosides have already been incorporated into RNA sequences by several other groups, employing 2′‐O‐tbdms‐ or 2′‐O‐tom‐protected phosphoramidite building blocks (tbdms = (tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl). We now optimized existing reactions, developed some new and shorter synthetic strategies, and sometimes introduced other nucleobase‐protecting groups. The 2′‐O‐tom, 5′‐O‐(dimethoxytrityl)‐protected ribonucleosides N²‐acetylisocytidine 5 , O²‐(diphenylcarbamoyl)‐N⁶‐isobutyrylisoguanosine 8 , N⁶‐isobutyryl‐N²‐(methoxyacetyl)purine‐2,6‐diamine ribonucleoside (= N⁸‐isobutyryl‐2‐[(methoxyacetyl)amino]adenosine) 11 , 5‐methyluridine 13 , and 5,6‐dihydrouridine 15 were prepared by first introducing the nucleobase protecting groups and the dimethoxytrityl group, respectively, followed by the 2′‐O‐tom group (Scheme 1). The other presented 2′‐O‐tom, 5′‐O‐(dimethoxytrityl)‐protected ribonucleosides inosine 17 , 1‐methylinosine 18 , N⁶‐isopent‐2‐enyladenosine 21 , N⁶‐methyladenosine 22 , N⁶,N⁶‐dimethyladenosine 23 , 1‐methylguanosine 25 , N²‐methylguanosine 27 , N²,N²‐dimethylguanosine 29 , N⁶‐(chloroacetyl)‐1‐methyladenosine 32 , N⁶‐{{{(1S,2R)‐2‐{[(tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy}‐1‐{[2‐(4‐nitrophenyl)ethoxy]carbonyl}propyl}amino}carbonyl}}adenosine 34 (derived from L ‐threonine) and N⁴‐acetyl‐5‐methylcytidine 36 were prepared by nucleobase transformation reactions from standard, already 2′‐O‐tom‐protected ribonucleosides (Schemes 2–4). Finally, all these nucleosides were transformed into the corresponding phosphoramidites 37 – 52 (Scheme 5), which are fully compatible with the assembly and deprotection conditions for standard RNA synthesis based on 2′‐O‐tom‐protected monomeric building blocks.     

Asymmetric Hydroformylation of Vinylfurans Catalyzed by {(11bS)‐4‐{[(1R)‐2′‐Phosphino[1,1′‐binaphthalen]‐2‐yl]oxy}dinaphtho[2,1‐d:1′,2′‐f]‐ [1,3,2]dioxaphosphepin}rhodium(I) [RhI{(R,S)‐binaphos}] Derivatives

The asymmetric hydroformylation of 2‐ and 3‐vinylfurans ( 2a and 2b , resp.) was investigated by using [Rh{(R,S)‐binaphos}] complexes as catalysts ((R,S)‐binaphos = (11bS)‐4‐{[1R)‐2′‐phosphino[1,1′‐binaphthalen]‐2‐yl]oxy}dinaphtho[2,1‐d:1′,2′‐f][1,3,2]dioxaphosphepin; 1 ). Hydroformylation of 2 gave isoaldehydes 3 in high regio‐ and enantioselectivities (Scheme 2 and Table). Reduction of the aldehydes 3 with NaBH₄ successfully afforded the corresponding alcohols 5 without loss of enantiomeric purity (Scheme 3).     

Stereoselective Synthesis of [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐Hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐D‐valine]]‐ and [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐Hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐L‐valine]cyclosporin A

Addition of various amines to the 3,3‐bis(trifluoromethyl)acrylamides 10a and 10b gave the tripeptides 11a – 11f , mostly as mixtures of epimers (Scheme 3). The crystalline tripeptide 11f ₂ was found to be the N‐terminal (2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐substituted (R,S,S)‐ester HOCH₂CH₂O‐D ‐Val(F₆)‐MeLeu‐Ala‐O^tBu by X‐ray crystallography. The C‐terminal‐protected tripeptide 11f ₂ was condensed with the N‐terminus octapeptide 2b to the depsipeptide 12a which was thermally rearranged to the undecapeptide 13a (Scheme 4). The condensation of the epimeric tripeptide 11f ₁ with the octapeptide 2b gave the undecapeptide 13b directly. The undecapeptides 13a and 13b were fully deprotected and cyclized to the [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐D ‐valine]]‐ and [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐L ‐valine]]cyclosporins 14a and 14b , respectively (Scheme 5). Rate differences observed for the thermal rearrangements of 12a to 13a and of 12b to 13b are discussed.     

Four oxoindole‐linked α‐alkoxy‐β‐amino acid derivatives

Four structures of oxoindolyl α‐hydroxy‐β‐amino acid derivatives, namely, methyl 2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐methoxy‐2‐phenylacetate, C₂₄H₂₈N₂O₆, (I), methyl 2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐ethoxy‐2‐phenylacetate, C₂₅H₃₀N₂O₆, (II), methyl 2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐[(4‐methoxybenzyl)oxy]‐2‐phenylacetate, C₃₁H₃₄N₂O₇, (III), and methyl 2‐[(anthracen‐9‐yl)methoxy]‐2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐phenylacetate, C₃₈H₃₆N₂O₆, (IV), have been determined. The diastereoselectivity of the chemical reaction involving α‐diazoesters and isatin imines in the presence of benzyl alcohol is confirmed through the relative configuration of the two stereogenic centres. In esters (I) and (III), the amide group adopts an anti conformation, whereas the conformation is syn in esters (II) and (IV). Nevertheless, the amide group forms intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds with the ester and ether O atoms in all four structures. The ether‐linked substituents are in the extended conformation in all four structures. Ester (II) is dominated by intermolecular N—H...O hydrogen‐bond interactions. In contrast, the remaining three structures are sustained by C—H...O hydrogen‐bond interactions.     

Radical 4‐exo Cyclizations onto O‐Alkyloxime Acceptors: Towards the Synthesis of Penicillin‐Containing Antibiotics

The 4‐exo cyclizations of two types of carbamoyl radicals onto O‐alkyloxime acceptor groups were studied as potential routes to 3‐amino‐substituted azetidinones and hence to penicillins. A general synthetic route to ‘benzaldehyde oxime oxalate amides’ (= 2‐[(benzylideneamino)oxy]‐2‐oxoacetamides; see, e.g., 10c ) of 2‐{[(benzyloxy)imino]methyl}‐substituted thiazolidine‐4‐carboxylic acid methyl esters 9 was developed (Scheme 3). It was shown by EPR spectroscopy that these compounds underwent sensitized photodissociation to the corresponding carbamoyl radicals but that these did not ring close. An analogous open‐chain precursor, benzaldehyde O‐(benzylaminoacetaldehyde‐O‐benzyloxalyl)oxime, 15 , lacking the 5‐membered thiazolidine ring, was shown by EPR spectroscopy to release the corresponding carbamoyl radical (Scheme 4). The latter underwent 4‐exo cyclization onto its C?NOBn bond in non‐H‐atom donor solvents. The rate constant for this cyclization was determined by the steady‐state EPR method. Spectroscopic evidence indicated that the reverse ring‐opening process was slower than cyclization.     

Synthesis of 9‐Halogenated 9‐Deazaguanine N7‐(2′‐Deoxyribonucleosides)

The syntheses of N⁷‐glycosylated 9‐deazaguanine 1a as well as of its 9‐bromo and 9‐iodo derivatives 1b , c are described. The regioselective 9‐halogenation with N‐bromosuccinimide (NBS) and N‐iodosuccinimide (NIS) was accomplished at the protected nucleobase 4a (2‐{[(dimethylamino)methylidene]amino}‐3,5‐dihydro‐3‐[(pivaloyloxy)methyl]‐4H‐pyrrolo[3,2‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one). Nucleobase‐anion glycosylation of 4a – c with 2‐deoxy‐3,5‐di‐O‐(p‐toluoyl)‐α‐D ‐erythro‐pentofuranosyl chloride ( 5 ) furnished the fully protected intermediates 6a – c (Scheme 2). They were deprotected with 0.01M NaOMe yielding the sugar‐deprotected derivatives 8a – c (Scheme 3). At higher concentrations (0.1M NaOMe), also the pivaloyloxymethyl group was removed to give 7a – c , while conc. aq. NH₃ solution furnished the nucleosides 1a – c . In D₂O, the sugar conformation was always biased towards S (67–61%).     

Heterospirocyclic N‐(2H‐Azirin‐3‐yl)‐L‐prolinates: New Dipeptide Synthons

The synthesis of methyl N‐(1‐aza‐6‐oxaspiro[2.5]oct‐1‐en‐2‐yl)‐L ‐prolinate ( 1e ) has been performed by consecutive treatment of methyl N‐[(tetrahydro‐2H‐pyran‐4‐yl)thiocarbonyl]‐L ‐prolinate ( 5 ) with COCl₂, 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), and NaN₃ (Scheme 1). As the first example of a novel class of dipeptide synthons, 1e has been shown to undergo the expected reactions with carboxylic acids and thioacids (Scheme 2). The successful preparation of the nonapeptide 16 , which is an analogue of the C‐terminal nonapeptide of the antibiotic Trichovirin I 1B, proved that 1e can be used in peptide synthesis as a dipeptide building block (Scheme 3). The structure of 7 has been established by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis (Figs. 1 and 2).     

Synthesis of (2′S)‐2′‐Deoxy‐2′‐C‐methylpurine Nucleosides and Their Phosphoramidites

We describe the stereoselective synthesis of (2′S)‐2′‐deoxy‐2′‐C‐methyladenosine ( 12 ) and (2′S)‐2′‐deoxy‐2′‐C‐methylinosine ( 14 ) as well as their corresponding cyanoethyl phosphoramidites 16 and 19 from 6‐O‐(2,6‐dichlorophenyl)inosine as starting material. The methyl group at the 2′‐position was introduced via a Wittig reaction (→ 3 , Scheme 1) followed by a stereoselective oxidation with OsO₄ (→ 4 , Scheme 2). The primary‐alcohol moiety of 4 was tosylated (→ 5 ) and regioselectively reduced with NaBH₄ (→ 6 ). Subsequent reduction of the 2′‐alcohol moiety with Bu₃SnH yielded stereoselectively the corresponding (2′S)‐2′‐deoxy‐2′‐C‐methylnucleoside (→ 8a ).     

Reliable Chemical Synthesis of Oligoribonucleotides (RNA) with 2′‐O‐[(Triisopropylsilyl)oxy]methyl(2′‐O‐tom)‐Protected Phosphoramidites

A method for the introduction of the 2′‐O‐[(triisopropylsilyl)oxy]methyl (=tom) group into N‐acetylated, 5′‐O‐dimethoxytritylated ribonucleosides is presented. The corresponding 2′‐O‐tom‐protected phosphoramidite building blocks were obtained in pure form and were successfully employed for the routine synthesis of oligoribonucleotides on DNA synthesizers. Under DNA coupling conditions (2.5 min coupling time for a 1.5‐μmol synthesis scale) and with 5‐(benzylthio)‐1H‐tetrazole (BTT) as activator, 2′‐O‐tom‐protected phosphoramidites exhibited average coupling yields >99.4%. The combination of N‐acetyl and 2′‐O‐tom protecting groups allowed a reliable and complete two‐step deprotection, first with MeNH₂ in EtOH/H₂O and then with Bu₄NF in THF, without concomitant destruction of the product RNA sequences.     

Pentopyranosyl Oligonucleotide Systems,Communication No. 10 , The α‐L‐Lyxopyranosyl‐(4′→2′)‐oligonucleotide System

To determine whether the remarkable chemical properties of the pyranosyl isomer of RNA as an informational Watson‐Crick base‐pairing system are unique to the pentopyranosyl‐(4′→2′)‐oligonucleotide isomer derived from the RNA‐building block D ‐ribose, studies on the entire family of diastereoisomeric pyranosyl‐(4′→2′)‐oligonucleotide systems deriving from D ‐ribose, L ‐lyxose, D ‐xylose, and L ‐arabinose were carried out. The result of these extended studies is unambiguous: not only pyranosyl‐RNA, but all members of the pentopyranosyl‐(4′→2′)‐oligonucleotide family are highly efficient Watson‐Crick base‐pairing systems. Their synthesis and pairing properties will be described in a series of publications in this journal. The present paper describes the α‐L ‐lyxopyranosyl‐(4′→2′)‐system.