Synthesis of New 3′-Deoxyribonucleosides Employing the Acid-Catalyzed Fusion Method

Coupling of 4,6-dichloro-1H-imidazo4,5-c]pyridine (2,6-dichloro-3-deaza-9H-purine) ( 1 ) with 1,2-O-di-acetyl-5-O-benzoyl-3-deoxy-β-D -ribofuranose ( 2 ), employing the acid-catalyzed fusion method, is reported (Scheme 1). The condensation reaction was regioselective and gave the three N¹-glycosylation products 3 – 5 , whereas no N³-nucleosides were detected. Treatment of 3 – 5 with methanolic ammonia afforded the corresponding deprotected nucleosides 6 – 8 . Compounds 6 and 7 were assigned the structure of the β-D - and α-D -anomeric N¹-(3′-deoxyribo)nucleosides, respectively. The third derivative 8 proved to be the α-D -anomer of a 3′-deoxyarabinonucleoside deriving from epimerization at C(2) of the sugar. The 2-chloro- and N⁶-substituted derivatives 9 , 11 , and 13 of 3′-deoxy-3-deazaadenosine ( 10 ) and of its α-D -anomer 12 can be obtained from these versatile synthons (Schemes 2 and 3).