Bicyclic Nucleoside Synthesis—A Photochemical Approach

The synthesis of a series of bicyclic nucleosides using photolytic ring-expansion of cyclobutanones is reported. The cyclobutanone precursors were prepared by [2+2] cycloaddition of a series of cyclic alkenes with chlorinated ketenes, derived from dichloro- and trichloroacetyl chloride. The synthesis of the nucleosides was achieved through photolysis of cyclobutanone precursors with 6-chloropurine by UV irradiation. The generality of this method was investigated and the absolute stereochemistry was assigned by NMR spectroscopy. The photoproducts demonstrated a marked preference for the 2′-exo conformation.     

Photochemical synthesis of novel dideoxynucleosides

A series of 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides based on the apiose family was prepared from photochemical ring-expansion of a common cyclobutanone precursor. The starting ketone, (+/-) 3-[2'-(benzoyloxy)ethyl]-2,2-dimethylcyclobutanone (12) was prepared from commercially available (+/-)alpha-pinene. Since the optically pure antipodes of alpha-pinene are also commercially available, these nucleosides can be prepared optically pure using the identical procedure.     

DNA containing side chains with terminal triple bonds: Base-pair stability and functionalization of alkynylated pyrimidines and 7-deazapurines

The synthesis of a series of oligonucleotides containing 5-substituted pyrimidines as well as 7-substituted 7-deazapurines bearing diyne groups with terminal triple bonds is reported. The modified nucleosides were prepared from the corresponding iodo nucleosides and diynes by the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. They were converted into phosphoramidites and employed in solid-phase synthesis of oligonucleotides. The effect of the diyne modifications on the duplex stability was investigated. The modified nucleosides were used for further functionalization using the protocol of Huisgen-Sharpless [2+3] cycloaddition ('click chemistry').     

Microwave assisted high yielding preparation of N-protected 2'-deoxyribonucleosides useful for oligonucleotide synthesis

A rapid and high yielding method for the synthesis of precursors of synthons for DNA synthesis, N-protected 2'-deoxyribonucleosides is described, which occur under mild conditions using microwave irradiation. The desired material, N-protected nucleosides, was obtained in 93-96% yield in few minutes. The final products were then characterized by 1H-NMR and MALDI-TOF and compared with the standard samples. The method is amenable to small to moderate scale of synthesis.     

Synthesis of isotopically labeled D-[1'-13C]ribonucleoside phosphoramidites

The preparation of fully protected labeled diisopropylamino-beta-cyanoethyl-[1'-13C]ribonucleoside phosphoramidites with regioisomeric purity is described. We demonstrated in this paper that a regioselective 2'-O-silylation, through a 3',5'-O-di-tert-butylsilanediyl protection, has been applied for the synthesis of [1'-13C]ribonucleoside phosphoramidite units. This method allowed us to obtain only the desired 2'-O-silyl-3'-O-phosphoramidites avoiding the undesired 3'-O-silyl-2'-O-phosphoramidite nucleosides isolated by standard procedures. This is a suitable procedure to RNA precursors with respect to the isotope-containing precursors.     

Synthesis and biological activity of 4'-C-hydroxymethyl-2'-fluro-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-alpha-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 (16beta) showed slight cytotoxicity in CCRF-CEM leukemia cells.     

Synthesis and anti-HIV activity of beta-D-3'-azido-2',3'-unsaturated nucleosides and beta-D-3'-azido-3'-deoxyribofuranosylnucleosides

Since the discovery of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) and 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (d4T) as potent and selective inhibitors of the replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), there has been a growing interest for the synthesis of 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'dideoxynucleosides with electron withdrawing groups on the sugar moiety. Here we described an efficient method for the synthesis of such nucleoside analogs bearing structural features of both AZT and d4T The key intermediate, 3-azido-1,2-bis-O-acetyl-5-O-benzoyl-3-deoxy-D-ribofuranose, 5 was synthesized from commercially available D-xylose in five steps, from which a series of pyrimidine and purine nucleosides were synthesized in high yields. The resultant protected nucleosides were converted to target nucleosides using appropriate chemical modifications. The final nucleosides were evaluated as potential anti-HIV agents.     

Synthesis, cytostatic and anti-HCV activity of 6-(N-substituted aminomethyl)-, 6-(O-substituted hydroxymethyl)- and 6-(S-substituted sulfanylmethyl)purine nucleosides

An efficient and facile synthesis of a large series of diverse 6-(N-substituted aminomethyl)-, 6-(O-substituted hydroxymethyl)- and 6-(S-substituted sulfanylmethyl)purine nucleosides (55 examples of both ribo- and 2'-deoxyribonucleosides), aimed at identifying novel homologues of natural nucleosides, was developed. The key transformation involved nucleophilic substitutions of Tol-protected 6-(mesyloxymethyl)purine nucleosides by primary or secondary amines, alcoholates or thiolates. While the 2'-deoxyribonucleosides were inactive, the ribonucleosides exerted considerable cytostatic effects and some anti-HCV activity with low selectivity.     

Synthesis of new mannosyl, galactosyl and glucosyl theophylline nucleosides with potential activity as antagonists of adenosine receptors. DEMA-induced cyclization of glycosylideneiminouracils

The synthesis of D-mannosyl, D-galactosyl and D-glucosyl theophylline nucleosides by diethoxymethyl acetate (DEMA)-induced cyclization of 4-amino-5-glycosylideneimino-1,3-dimethyluracil is reported. 8-Methyltheophylline derivatives of the same sugars were also prepared by Ac(2)O/H(+)-induced cyclization of their imine precursors. This approach has allowed beta-D-mannopyranosyl-, alpha-D-galactofuranosyl- and beta-D-glucofuranosyltheophylline nucleosides to be synthesized for the first time. The inhibition of specific binding at A(1), A(2A), A(2B) and A(3) adenosine receptors in the mannose derivatives is also reported.     

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-alpha-D-arabinofuranosyl bromide (13) was developed. Coupling of 13 with the sodium salt of 2,6-dichloropurine led to five target purine nucleosides.     

Synthesis of 5-Mercaptocytosine Nucleosides and Nucleotides

Abstract

The synthesis of a series of new nucleosides and nucleotides, including ribo-, 2-deoxyribo- and arabinofuranosides of 5-sulfur-substituted cytosines, is described. The synthetic methods employed involve 5-thiolation of the appropriate cytosine or 5-bromocytosine nucleosides and nucleotides, or alternatively, 4-thiation followed by amination of the corresponding protected 5-(S-benzyl)mercaptouracil nucleosides and subsequent deblocking with sodium and liquid ammonia.     

Synthesis of novel purine nucleosides towards a selective inhibition of human butyrylcholinesterase

The search for new and potent cholinesterase inhibitors is an ongoing quest mobilizing many organic chemistry groups around the world as these molecules have been shown to treat the late symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease as well as to act as neuroprotecting agents. In this work, we disclose the synthesis of novel 2-acetamidopurine nucleosides and, for the first time, regioselective N⁷-glycosylation with 2-acetamido-6-chloropurine, promoted by trimethylsilyl triflate, was accomplished by tuning the reaction conditions (acetonitrile as solvent, 65 °C, 5 h) starting from 1-acetoxy bicyclic glycosyl donors, or by direct coupling of a methyl glucopyranoside with the nucleobase to obtain only N⁷ nucleosides in reasonable yield (55–60%). The nucleosides as well as their sugar precursors were screened for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition. While none of the compounds tested inhibited AChE, remarkably, some of the N⁷ nucleosides and sugar bicyclic derivatives showed potent inhibition towards BChE. Nanomolar inhibition was obtained for one compound competing well with rivastigmine, a drug currently in use for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Experimental results showed that the presence of benzyl groups on the carbohydrate scaffold and the N⁷-linked purine nucleobase were necessary for strong BChE inactivation. A preliminary evaluation of the acute cytotoxicity of the elongated bicyclic sugar precursors and nucleosides was performed indicating low values, in the same order of magnitude as those of rivastigmine.     

MICROWAVE ASSISTED HIGH YIELDING PREPARATION OF N-PROTECTED 2′-DEOXYRIBONUCLEOSIDES USEFUL FOR OLIGONUCLEOTIDE SYNTHESIS

ABSTRACT

A rapid and high yielding method for the synthesis of precursors of synthons for DNA synthesis, N-protected 2′-deoxyribonucleosides is described, which occur under mild conditions using microwave irradiation. The desired material, N-protected nucleosides, was obtained in 93–96% yield in few minutes. The final products were then characterized by ¹H-NMR and MALDI-TOF and compared with the standard samples. The method is amenable to small to moderate scale of synthesis.     

Screening of Catalytically Active Microorganisms for the Synthesis of 6-Modified Purine Nucleosides

Modified nucleosides can be prepared by microbial transglycosylation from cheaper nucleoside precursors using free or immobilised whole cells. An efficient screening method to find transglycosylation activity in␣microorganisms was developed for the synthesis of 6-modified purine nucleosides, such as 6-chloro-, 6-methoxy-, 6-iodo- and 6-mercaptopurine ribonucleoside. Out of 100 microorganisms screened, Bacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 12980 was the best for this purpose.     

Novel chalcogenides of thymidine and uridine: synthesis, properties and applications

A facile and efficient methodology has been developed for the synthesis of dithymidine and di-uridine derived disulfides using benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate as a sulfur transfer reagent. However, a similar reaction of thymidine derivative with tetraethylammonium tetraselenotungstate as a selenium transfer reagent resulted in the formation of an unexpected cyclic diselenide. The disulfide derivatives of nucleosides have been used as precursors in a tandem disulfide cleavage-Michael addition/ring opening reactions to construct aminoacid and carbocyclic derivatives of nucleosides.     

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.     

Synthesis and Anti-HIV Activity of β-D-3′-Azido-2′,3′-unsaturated Nucleosides and β-D-3′-Azido-3′-deoxyribofuranosylnucleosides

Since the discovery of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) and 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (d4T) as potent and selective inhibitors of the replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), there has been a growing interest for the synthesis of 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxynucleosides with electron withdrawing groups on the sugar moiety. Here we described an efficient method for the synthesis of such nucleoside analogs bearing structural features of both AZT and d4T. The key intermediate, 3-azido-1,2-bis-O-acetyl-5-O-benzoyl-3-deoxy-D-ribofuranose, 5 was synthesized from commercially available D-xylose in five steps, from which a series of pyrimidine and purine nucleosides were synthesized in high yields. The resultant protected nucleosides were converted to target nucleosides using appropriate chemical modifications. The final nucleosides were evaluated as potential anti-HIV agents.     

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 anti-cancer activity of some novel 5-azacytosine nucleosides

1-O-Acetyl-2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-toluoyl-4-thio-D-erythro-pentofuranose and 2-deoxy-1,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-4-thio-L-threo-pentofuranose were coupled with 5-azacytosine to obtain alpha and beta anomers of nucleosides. All four nucleosides were reduced to the corresponding dihydro derivatives and deblocked to give target compounds. All eight target compounds were evaluated in a series of human cancer cell lines in culture. Only 2'-deoxy-4'-thio-5-azacytidine (3beta) was found to be cytotoxic in all the cell lines and was further evaluated in vivo. Details of the synthesis and biological activity are reported.