Synthesis and Conformational Studies of New Purine Isodideoxynucleosides

Nucleosides with Transposed Base or 4'-Hydroxymethyl Moieties and Their Corresponding Oligonucleotides

This review focuses on 4'-hydroxymethyl- or nucleobase-transposed nucleosides, nucleotides, and nucleoside phosphonates, their stereoisomers, and their close analogues. The biological activities of all known 4'-hydroxymethyl- or nucleobase-transposed nucleosides, nucleotides, and nucleoside phosphonates as potential antiviral or anticancer agents are compiled. The routes that have been taken for the chemical synthesis of such nucleoside derivatives are described, with special attention to the innovative strategies. The enzymatic synthesis, base-pairing properties, structure, and stability of oligonucleotides containing nucleobase- or 4'-hydroxymethyl-transposed nucleotides are discussed. The use of oligonucleotides containing nucleobase- or 4'-hydroxymethyl-transposed nucleotides as small oligonucleotide (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus integrase) inhibitors, in applications such as antisense therapy, silencing RNA (siRNA), or aptamer selections, is detailed.

Synthesis of 4-acyl-1H-1,2,3-triazolic nucleosides

Two simple regiospecific methodologies based on triazolic ring construction in the course of synthesis were applied for the synthesis of 1,2,3triazolic nucleoside analogues. The cycloaddition reactions between diazomalonaldehyde and appropriate glycosylamine derivatives were rather effective, producing the desired nucleosides 11, 17 and 24. Diazotization of enamines 21a and 21b led to the corresponding triazolic ribonucleoside derivatives 22a and 22b, in good yields. Deprotection reaction of 22a, 22b and 24 was easily achieved by Lewis acid catalysis, producing the corresponding ribonucleosides 23a, 23b and 25.

Isonucleosides incorporating universal bases

Enantiomeric isodideoxynucleosides of the (S,S) and (R,R) families with the universal base, imidazole-4-carboxamide as the nucleobase, were synthesized as biological mimics of anti-HIV active D- and L-related isodideo-xyadenosines. In vitro anti-HIV evaluation in CEM cells of these target compounds showed that they were inactive. Further antiviral studies are in progress.