Correlation of the C-1′ chemical shifts with the vicinal spin-spin coupling constants of the H-1′ and H-2′ protons in nucleosides. II. 2′-, 3′-, and 5′-O-substituted nucleosides

The existence of a correlation has been established for pyrimidine but not for purine, nucleosides. It is suggested that the change in the chemical shift of the anomeric carbon is a consequence of 1,2-eclipsing interaction between O-2′ and N-1′ in the S type of conformation of the ribose ring. Possible reason for the absence of a correlation in the case of purine nucleosides are discussed. It is shown that the chemical shift of the anomeric carbon can be used in the conformational analysis of the ribose rings of pyrimidine nucleosides.