Design and Synthesis of LNA-Based Mercaptoacetamido-Linked Nucleoside Dimers

Three LNA-based mercaptoacetamido-linked nonionic nucleoside dimers T^L-S-T, T-S-T^L , and T^L-S-T^L have been synthesized by HOBT and HBTU catalyzed condensation of silyl-protected 2-S-(thymidin-5?′-yl)mercaptoacetic acid or 2-S-(2?′-O,4?′-C-methylenethymidin-5?′-yl)mercaptoacetic acid with 3?′-amino-3?′-deoxy-5?′-O-DMT-2?′-O,4?′-C-methylenethymidine or with 3?′-amino-3?′-deoxy-5?′-O-DMT-β-thymidine followed by desilylation of the protected dimers. The 3?′-O-phosphoramidite derivative of one of the nucleoside dimers was successfully prepared by condensation with P(-Cl)(-OCH₂CH₂CN)-N(iPr)₂}] in DCM in the presence of N,N-diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA), which is a building block for the preparation of mercaptoacetamido-linked oligonucleotides of therapeutic applications.