Preparation of selenoanhydro- and telluroanhydroglycofuranosides and some corresponding nucleosides

Methyl 2,3-anhydro-alpha-D-ribofuranoside (3a) was transformed into methyl 2-seleno-2,5-anhydro-alpha-D-arabinofuranoside (5a) and methyl 3-seleno-3,5-anhydro-alpha-D-xylofuranoside (6a) in two steps via the reaction of the C-5 mesylate of 3a, methyl 2,3-anhydro-5-O-mesyl-alpha-D-ribofuranoside (4a), with sodium hydrogen selenide. The corresponding beta anomer of 3a yielded methyl 3-seleno-3,5-anhydro-beta-D-xylofuranoside as the main product and only traces of methyl 2-seleno-2,5-anhydro-beta-D-arabinofuranoside. Sodium hydrogen telluride transformed 4a into methyl 2-telluro-2,5-anhydro-alpha-D-arabinofuranoside. Starting from 5a we prepared 1-(2-seleno-2,5-anhydro-alpha-D-arabinofuranosyl)uracil and the analogous thymidine nucleoside. Compound 6a could not be transformed into nucleosides.