Synthesis of novel purinyl-1'-homocarbanucleosides based on a cyclopenta[b]pyrazine system

cis-2,3-Diphenyl-6,7-dihydro-5H-cyclopenta[b]pyrazine-5,7-dimethanol, prepared by Diels-Alder reaction from cyclopentadiene and appropriately protected 2-imidazolone--followed by dihydroxylation, glycol protection, diamine deprotection, condensation with benzyl, glycol deprotection, oxidative cleavage and reduction--, was used to synthesize (+/-)-cis-([7-(6-chloro-9H-purin-9-yl)methyl]-2,3-diphenyl-6,7-dihydro-5H-cyclopenta[b]pyrazin-5-yl)methanol, a key intermediate for novel 1'-homocarbanucleosides based on a cyclopenta[b]pyrazine scaffold as shown by its conversion into several 6-substituted purinyl derivatives.