First and efficient synthesis of phosphonodifluoromethylene analogues of nucleoside 3'-phosphates: crucial role played by sulfur in construction of the target molecules

Expanding the Scope of Group Transfer Radical Reaction: Toward the Synthesis of Fluorinated Nucleoside Analogues Incorporating Difluorophosphonylated Allylic Ether Moieties

Scope and limitations of the group transfer radical reaction of diisopropyl iododifluoromethylphosphonate onto carbohydrates and nucleosides are described. This key step allowed us to explore the synthesis of new fluorinated nucleoside analogues containing a difluorophosphonylated allylic ether moiety onto the 2'-position, in purine and pyrimidine series (B = A, C, G, T, U). Indeed, two unprecedented chemical approaches involving a late introduction of either the nucleobase or the fluorinated moiety are discussed.

δ-C-H Mono- and Dihalogenation of Alcohols

Alkoxy radicals have long been known to enable remote C-H functionalization via 1,5-hydrogen atom abstraction. However, methods for their generation traditionally have relied upon highly oxidizing metals, ultraviolet radiation, or preformed peroxide intermediates, which has prevented the development of many desirable transformations. Herein we report a new bench-stable precursor that decomposes to free alkoxy radicals via a previously unreported single-electron oxidation pathway. This new precursor enables the fluorination and chlorination of remote C-H bonds under exceptionally mild conditions with exceedingly high monoselectivity. Iterative use of this precursor enables the introduction of a second halogen atom, granting access to remote dihalide motifs, including CF₂ and CFCl.

Combining a Clostridial enzyme exhibiting unusual active site plasticity with a remarkably facile sigmatropic rearrangement: rapid, stereocontrolled entry into densely functionalized fluorinated phosphonates for chemical biology

Described is an efficient stereocontrolled route into valuable, densely functionalized fluorinated phosphonates that takes advantage of (i) a Clostridial enzyme to set the absolute stereochemistry and (ii) a new [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of the thiono-Claisen variety that is among the fastest sigmatropic rearrangements yet reported. Here, a pronounced rate enhancement is achieved by distal fluorination. This rearrangement is completely stereoretentive, parlaying the enzymatically established β-C-O stereochemistry in the substrate into the δ-C-S stereochemistry in the product. The final products are of interest to chemical biology, with a platform for Zn-aminopeptidase A inhibitors being constructed here. The enzyme, Clostridium acetobutylicum (CaADH), recently expressed by our group, reduces a spectrum of γ,δ-unsaturated β-keto-α,α-difluorophosphonate esters (93-99% ee; 10 examples). The resultant β-hydroxy-α,α-difluorophosphonates possess the "L"-stereochemistry, opposite to that previously observed for the CaADH-reduction of ω-keto carboxylate esters ("D"), indicating an unusual active site plasticity. For the thiono-Claisen rearrangement, a notable structure-reactivity relationship is observed. Measured rate constants vary by over 3 orders of magnitude, depending upon thiono-ester structure. Temperature-dependent kinetics reveal an unusually favorable entropy of activation (ΔS(‡) = 14.5 ± 0.6 e.u.). Most notably, a 400-fold rate enhancement is seen upon fluorination of the distal arene ring, arising from favorable enthalpic (ΔΔH(‡) = -2.3 kcal/mol) and entropic (ΔΔS(‡) = 4 e.u., i.e. 1.2 kcal/mol at rt) contributions. The unusual active site plasticity seen here is expected to drive structural biology studies on CaADH, while the exceptionally facile sigmatropic rearrangement is expected to drive computational studies to elucidate its underlying entropic and enthalpic basis.

Synthesis of an apionucleoside family and discovery of a prodrug with anti-HIV activity

We report the synthesis of a family of D- and L-furano-D-apionucleosides, their 3'-deoxy, as well as their 2',3'-dideoxy analogues with thymine and adenine nucleobases. Single carbon homologation of 1,2-O-isopropylidene-D-glycero-tetrafuranos-3-ulose (15) and optimized glycosylation conditions involving microwave irradiation were key to the successful synthesis of the target compounds. While all target nucleosides failed to show significant antiviral activity, we demonstrated that the triphosphate of 2',3'-deoxy-D-apio-D-furanoadenosine (1), in contrast to that of its D-apio-L-furanose epimer 2, was readily incorporated into a DNA template by HIV reverse transcriptase to act as a DNA chain terminator. This led us to convert adenine derivative 1 into two phosphoramidate prodrugs. ProTide 9b was found active against HIV-1 and HIV-2 (EC50 = 0.5-1.5 μM), indicating that the lack of activity of the parent nucleoside, and possibly also other members of the D-apio-D-furanose nucleoside family must be sought in the inefficient cellular conversion to the monophosphate.

Synthesis of α-brominated phosphonates and their application as phosphate bioisosteres

A review of the synthesis and biological activity of α-bromo-phosphonate groups as phosphate bioisosteres.

Phosphonodifluoromethyl and Phosphonothiodifluoromethyl Radicals. Generation and Addition onto Alkenes and Alkynes

[reaction: see text] Selanylated difluoromethylphosphonates and difluoromethylphosphonothioates are good precursors to phosphonodifluoromethyl and phosphonothiodifluoromethyl radicals, respectively. When generated in the presence of alkenes and a hydrogen donor, the corresponding alpha,alpha-difluorinated alkylphosphonates or alkylphosphonothioates are produced in fair to good yields. The use of alkynes results in the formation of alpha,alpha-difluorinated allyl derivatives in useful yields. The presence of the sulfur atom in phosphonothiodifluoromethyl radicals usually translates into higher isolated yields.

The preparation of new phosphorus-centered functional groups for modified oligonucleotides and other natural phosphates

Efforts to develop synthetic methodologies allowing the preparation of alpha,alpha- difluorophosphonothioates, alpha,alpha-difluorophosphonodithioates, alpha,alpha-difluorophosphono- trithioates, and alpha,alpha-difluorophosphinates are reviewed in the light of applications in the field of modified oligonucleotides and cyclitol phosphates. Two successful approaches have been developed, based either on the addition of phosphorus-centered radicals onto gem-difluoroalkenes or on a process involving the addition of lithiodifluorophosphono- thioates 91 onto a ketone and the subsequent deoxygenation reaction of the adduct. The radical route successfully developed a practical route to alpha,alpha-difluoro-H-phosphinates which proved to be useful intermediates to a variety of phosphate isosters. The ionic route led to the first preparation of phosphonodifluoromethyl analogues of nucleoside- 3'-phosphates.

Syntheses of ω-Hydroxy-α,α-difluoromethylphosphonates by Oxacycle Ring-Opening Reactions

[reaction: see text] Oxacycle ring-opening reactions from a non-HCFC-based source of phosphonodifluoromethyl carbanion 1 are reported. This straightforward strategy opens access to a variety of primary and secondary omega-hydroxy-alpha,alpha-difluoromethylphosphonates via one step. The syntheses of a glycerol monophosphate analogue and precursors to nucleoside phosphorylase inhibitors are described using this method.

Phosphonyl, phosphonothioyl, phosphonodithioyl, and phosphonotrithioyl radicals: generation and study of their addition onto alkenes

The treatment of benzyl dialkyl phosphites and dithiophosphites with benzeneselanyl chloride generates an Arbuzov-type transformation leading to the dialkyl selenophosphates 19a and 19b and to selenophosphorodithioates 21a and 21b. Interaction of these substrates with Lawesson's reagent yields the corresponding selenophosphorothioates 20a and 20b and the selenophosphorotrithioates 22a and 22b. When treated with a radical initiator in the presence of a hydrogen donor and an alkene, all eight phosphorus(V) precursors undergo homolytic cleavage of the P-Se bond to generate the phosphonyl, phosphonothioyl, phosphonodithioyl, or phosphonotrithioyl radicals. Most of these are shown to add onto electron-rich and electron-poor alkenes to deliver the expected adducts in fair to excellent yields. Cyclic precursor 19b displays peculiar behavior and, under the reaction conditions, produces only the corresponding cyclic phosphite. Application of this radical chain process is carried out on furanosyl 3-exo-methylene derivative 37 to diastereoselectively furnish five new 3-phosphonomethyl-, 3-phosphonothiomethyl-, and 3-phosphonodithiomethyl-3-deoxofuranoses 38a-c and 38f,g. The possibility of conducting tandem processes is also discussed through experiments involving (1R)-(+)-alpha-pinene (39) and diallylamine 41.