Ketodeoxyhexosylpurines. Synthesis and properties of keto derivatives of 7-(beta-L-fucopyranosyl)-theophylline

Catalytic fusion of 1,2,3,4-tetra-O-acetyl-L-fucose with theophylline gave 7-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-deoxy-β-L-galactopyranosyl)theophylline (1) which was deacetylated with sodium methoxide to give 7-(6-deoxy-β-L-galactopyranosyl)theophylline (2), further transformed by selective condensation with acetone into 7-(6-deoxy-3,4-O-isopropylidene-β-L-galactopyranosyl)theophylline (3). Oxidation of 3 employing a modified Pfitzner-Moffatt procedure led to 7-(6-deoxy-3,4-O-isopropylidene-β-L-lyxo-hexopyranosulosyl)theophylline (5). However, treatment of 3 with dimethyl sulfoxide-acetic anhydride according to the procedure used for deoxy hexoses gave only the 2′-O-acetyl analog 4. Treatment of 5 with alkali showed it to be more stable than 2′-ketouridine or 2′-ketocytidine. Finally, in vivo biological assays showed that 7-(6-deoxy-β-L-lyxo-hexopyranosulosyl)theophylline (7) inhibits cellular growth, whereas the nucleoside 2 is inactive before oxidation.