| Abstract: | The synthesis of oligonucleotides containing N7-(2-deoxy-β-D -erythro-pentofuranosyl)guanine (N7Gd; 1 ) is described. Compound 1 was prepared by nucleobase-anion glycosylation of 2-amino-6-methoxypurine ( 5 ) with 2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-(4-toluoyl)-α-D -erythro-pentofuranosyl chloride ( 6 ) followed by detoluoylation and displacement of the MeO group ( 8→10→1 ). Upon base protection with the (dimethylamino)methylidene residue (→ 11 ) the 4,4-dimethoxytrityl group was introduced at OH? C(5′) (→ 12 ). The phosphonate 3 and the phosphoramidite 4 were prepared and used in solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis. The self-complementary dodecamer d(N7G? C)6 shows sigmoidal melting. The Tm of the duplex is 40°. This demonstrates that guanine residues linked via N(7) of purine to the phosphodiester backbone are able to undergo base pairing with cytosine. |
