SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF 4′-THIO-L-XYLOFURANOSYL NUCLEOSIDES

A series of 4′-thio-L-xylofuranosyl nucleosides were prepared and evaluated as potential anticancer and antiviral agents. The details of a convenient and high-yielding synthesis of the carbohydrate precursor 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-4- thio-L-xylofuranose (6) are presented. Proof of structure and configuration at all chiral centers of the nucleosides was obtained by proton and carbon NMR. All target compounds were evaluated in a series of human cancer cell lines in culture and as antiviral agents.     

SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF 4′-C-HYDROXYMETHYL-2′-FLUORO-D-ARABINOFURANOSYLPURINE NUCLEOSIDES

A series of 4′-C-hydroxymethyl-2′-fluoro-D-arabinofuranosylpurine nucleosides was prepared and evaluated for cytotoxicity in human tumor cell lines. A convenient synthesis of the carbohydrate precursor 4-C-hydroxymethyl-3,5-di-O-benzoyl-2-fluoro-α-D-arabinofuranosyl bromide (13) was developed. Coupling of 13 with the sodium salt of 2,6-dichloropurine led to five target purine nucleosides.     

HYDROLYSIS OF 2′-DEOXY AND 2′-FLUORONUCLEOSIDE-3′-PHOSPHODlESTERS

Abstract

Two nucleoside analogs were synthesized to test the ribose conformational and electronic effects on phosphate hydrolysis at the 3′ position. It was found that under alkaline conditions, a 2′-fluoro-nucleoside (C3′-endo) resulted in a phosphate degradation that was ten times faster than the 2′-deoxynucleoside analog (C2′-endo). In addition to kinetic differences, product distributions will be presented.     

SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF 4′-C-HYDROXYMETHYL-2′-FLUORO- D-ARABINOFURANOSYLPURINE NUCLEOSIDES

A series of 4′-C-hydroxymethyl-2′-fluoro-D-arabinofuranosylpurine nucleosides was prepared and evaluated for cytotoxicity. The details of a convenient synthesis of the carbohydrate precursor 4-C-hydroxymethyl-3,5-di-O-benzoyl-2-fluoro-α-D-arabinofuranosyl bromide (13) are presented. Proof of the structure and configuration at all chiral centers of the sugars and the nucleosides were obtained by proton NMR. All five target nucleosides were evaluated for cytotoxicity in human tumor cell lines. The 4′-C-hydroxymethyl clofarabine analogue (16β) showed slight cytotoxicity in CCRF-CEM leukemia cells.     

3′-AZIDO-3′-DEOXY-5′-O-ISONICOTINOYLTHYMIDINE,A NEW PRODRUG OF ZIDOVUDINE. SYNTHESIS,SOLID STATE CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTI HIV-1 ACTIVITY

ABSTRACT

Synthesis, solid state characterization and anti HIV-1 activity of 3′-azido-3′-deoxy-5′-O-isonicotinoylthymidine (2), a new prodrug of zidovudine (AZT, 1), are described. Two solid forms of 2 prepared by crystallization from ethyl acetate-petroleum ether (form α) and from a melt sample of form α (amorphous form) were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TGA) techniques. The novel nucleoside exhibited antiviral activity against standard and resistant strain panels of HIV-1 as well as cytotoxicity similar to that of AZT.     

SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION OF ANTI-HSV ACTIVITY OF NEW 5-ALKYNYL-2′-DEOXYURIDINES

Eight 5-alkynyl-2′deoxyuridines containing different bulky substituents have been prepared and tested against HSV-1 in Vero cells. The compounds show positive antiviral activity. There is no obvious correlation between activity and substituent size. The nature of the linker between uracil and a substituent appears to be more important for antiviral properties: nucleosides containing arylethynyl groups show higher activity.     

SYNTHESIS AND ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF D- AND L-2′-AZIDO-2′,3′-DIDEOXY-4′-THIOPYRIMIDINE AND PURINE NUCLEOSIDES

Novel D- and L-2′-azido-2′,3′-dideoxy-4′-thionucleosides were synthesized starting from L- and D-xylose via D- and L-4-thioarabitol derivative as key intermediates and evaluated for antiviral activity, respectively. When the final nucleosides were tested against HIV-1, HSV-1, HSV-2, and HCMV, they were found to be only active against HCMV without cytotoxicity up to 100 μg/ml.     

SYNTHESIS OF 3′-DEOXY-3′-C-HYDROXYMETHYL ANALOGUES OF TIAZOFURIN AND RIBAVIRIN

On the basis of potent biological activity of 3′-branched-3′-deoxynucleoside analogues, novel ribavirin and tiazofurin derivatives with 3′-C-hydroxymethyl substituent were synthesized, starting from D-xylose.     

SYNTHESIS AND ANTI-HIV ACTIVITY OF THYMIDINE ANALOGUES BEARING A 4′-CYANOVINYL GROUP AND SOME DERIVATIVES THEREOF

Treatment of 3′-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-2′,5′-dideoxy-5′-oxothymidine (4) with potassium or magnesium nitromethanide afforded in good yield the resolvable epimeric mixture of the expected blocked nitronucleosides 5 which upon dehydration led to the corresponding E-nitroenofuranosylthymidine 6. Nucleophilic attack of cyanide onto the nitrovinyl group led to a nucleoside analogue bearing a terminal 1-cyanovinyl group (7), a soft electrophilic group which, upon reaction with benzeneselenol, underwent a conjugate addition to the phenylselenonucleoside derivative 9. All these compounds, eventually de-O-silylated, were subject of in vitro biological testing, some exhibiting interesting cytotoxic or antiviral properties.     

2′-MODIFIED OLIGONUCLEOTIDES FROM METHOXYOXALAMIDO AND SUCCINIMIDO PRECURSORS: SYNTHESIS,PROPERTIES, AND APPLICATIONS

Synthesis of 2′-modified oligonucleotides from 2′-methoxyoxalamido (MOX) and 2′-succinimido (SUC) precursors is described. Their physical and biochemical properties were assessed. Synthesized oligonucleotides were used as primers in advanced DNA sequencing protocols. An example of sequencing directly off genomic DNA template without prior cloning or PCR amplification is presented.     

SYNTHESIS AND BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF NOVEL mRNA 5′ CAP ANALOGS RESISTANT TO ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS

A series of new dinucleotide cap analogs with methylene groups replacing oxygens within the pyrophosphate moieties have been synthesized. All the compounds were resistant to the human scavenger decapping hydrolase, DcpS. Binding constants of the modified caps to eIF4E are comparable to those obtained for m⁷GpppG. This suggests these methylene modifications in the pyrophosphate chain do not significantly affect cap-binding at least for eIF4E. These cap analogs are also good inhibitors of in vitro translation. mRNAs capped with novel analogs were translated similarly to the mRNA capped with the parent m⁷GpppG.     

SYNTHESIS OF CARBOCYCLIC ANALOGS OF 2′,3′-DIDEOXYSANGIVAMYCIN, 2′,3′-DIDEOXYTOYOCAMYCIN,AND 2′,3′-DIDEOXYTRICIRIBINE

Syntheses and antiviral activity of new carbocyclic analogs of 2′, 3′-dideoxysangivamycin, 2′,3′-dideoxytoyocamycin and 2′,3′-dideoxytriciribine is described. The key intermediate, carbocyclic 4-chloro- 5-iodopyrrolopyrimidine, was synthesized in good yield via a novel iodination method using I₂ and CF₃COOAg. This carbocyclic 4-chloro-5-iodopyrrolopyrimidine then allowed for a concise synthesis of the desired 4,5-disubstituted carbocyclic nucleosides.     

SYNTHESIS AND IN VITRO ANTI-HCV ACTIVITY OF β-D- and L-2′-DEOXY-2′-FLUORORIBONUCLEOSIDES

Based on the discovery of β-D-2′-deoxy-2′-fluorocytidine as a potent anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) agent, a series of β-D- and l-2′-deoxy-2′-fluororibonucleosides with modifications at 5 and/or 4 positions were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro activity against HCV and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). The introduction of the 2′-fluoro group was achieved by either fluorination of 2,2′-anhydronucleosides with hydrogen fluoride-pyridine or potassium fluoride, or a fluorination of arabinonucleosides with DAST. Among the 27 analogues synthesized, only the 5-fluoro compounds, namely β-D-2′-deoxy-2′,5-difluorocytidine (5), had anti-HCV activity in the subgenomic HCV replicon cell line, and inhibitory activity against ribosomal RNA. As β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC) had previously shown potent anti-HCV activity, the two functionalities of the N4-hydroxyl and the 2′-fluoro were combined into one molecule, yielding β-D-2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-N4-hydroxycytidine (12). However, this nucleoside showed neither anti-HCV activity nor toxicity. All the l-forms of the analogues were devoid of anti-HCV activity. None of the compounds showed anti-BVDV activity, suggesting that the BVDV system cannot reliably predict anti-HCV activity in vitro.     

SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF 2′-DEOXY-4′-THIO-PYRAZOLO[3,4-d]PYRIMIDINE NUCLEOSIDES

The coupling of 4-aminopyrazolo [3, 4-d]pyrimidine with the appropriate thio sugar gave a 3:1 ratio of α,β blocked 4-amino-1-(2-deoxy-4-thio-D-erythropentofuranosyl)- 1H pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine nucleosides. The mixture was deblocked, both the anomers were separated, and the β-anomer was readily deaminated by adenosine deaminase. The nucleosides have been characterized, and their anomeric configurations have been determined by proton NMR. All three nucleosides were evaluated against a panel of human tumor cell lines for cytotoxicity in vitro. The details of a convenient and high yielding synthesis of these nucleosides are described.     

SYNTHESIS AND ANTIPROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY OF SOME 4′-C-HYDROXYMETHYL-α- AND -β-D-ARABINO-PENTOFURANOSYL PYRIMIDINE NUCLEOSIDES

A suitably protected 4-C-hydroxymethyl-arabino-pentofuranose was prepared and condensed with the following nucleobases: uracil, 5-fluorouracil and thymine. The corresponding cytosine and 5-fluorocytosine derivatives have also been obtained respectively from the uracil and 5-fluorouracil nucleosides. Separation of the anomeric mixtures followed by deprotection afforded the target compounds that were found to be non-cytotoxic to CCRF-CEM leukemia cells.     

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF A NOVEL BRIDGED NUCLEIC ACID ANALOGUE, 5′-AMINO-3′,5′-BNA

An oligonucleotide P3′?N5′ phosphoramidate (5′-amino-DNA) attracts much attention because of its potential for application to DNA sequencing; however, its ability to hybridize with complementary strands is low. To overcome this drawback of the 5′-amino-DNA, we have designed and successfully synthesized a novel nucleic acid analogue having a P3′?N5′ phosphoramidate linkage and a constrained sugar moiety, 5′-amino-3′-C,5′-N-methylene bridged nucleic acid (5′-amino-3′,5′-BNA). The binding affinity of the 5′-amino-3′,5′-BNA towards complementary DNA and RNA strands was investigated by UV melting experiments. The melting temperature (Tm) of the duplex comprising the 5′-amino-3′,5′-BNA and its complementary strand was much higher than that of the duplex containing the corresponding 5′-amino-DNA.     

2′-C-ALKOXY AND 2′-C-ARYLOXY DERIVATIVES OF N-(2-PHOSPHONOMETHOXYETHYL)-PURINES AND -PYRIMIDINES: SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

A series of novel, unusual type of acyclic phosphonate-based nucleotide analogues related to well-known antivirals (PMEA and HPMPA) was synthesized using easily available synthon. These compounds, which are distinguished for the presence of phosphonomethyl acetal linkage, form a group of derivatives that contribute to the understanding of structure-activity relationship within the area of acyclic nucleotide analogues.     

THE SYNTHESIS OF,AND STUDIES ON, 2′-C-MODIFIED NUCLEOTIDES

The synthesis of uridine monomers containing either a 2′-deoxy-2′-C-methy- lcyano or ethylcyano group is described. These monomers are intended for incorporation into oligonucleotides to investigate a proposed duplex-stabilising effect exerted by 2′-tethered amide groups.     

SYNTHESIS OF 3′-UREIDOADENOSINE ANALOGUES AND THEIR BINDING AFFINITY TO THE A3 ADENOSINE RECEPTOR

Novel 3′-ureidoadenosine analogues were synthesized from 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-glucose in order to lead to stronger hydrogen bonding at the A₃ adenosine receptor than the corresponding 3′-aminoadenosine derivatives. However, all synthesized 3′-ureidoadenosine analogues have lost their binding affinities to the all subtypes of adenosine receptors, indicating that bulky 3′-urea moiety led to conformational distortion.