The synthesis of a series of 4'-thio-5-halogenopyrimidine nucleosides, including the 5-fluoro, chloro, bromo and iodo derivatives, has been carried out by condensation of the 2,4-bis-O-trimethylsilyl derivatives of the corresponding pyrimidine bases with the protected 4-thio-D-ribofuranosyl chloride. Among these, the alpha and beta anomers of 4'-thio-5-fluorouridine inhibited the growth of leukemia L1210 cells at concentrations of 4 x 10(-7) and 2 x 10(-7) M, respectively, and that of S. faecium at 4 x 10(-9) and 6 x 10(-10) M, respectively. These compounds retained marked activity against strains of S. faecium resistant to 10(-3) M 5-fluorouracil or 5-fluorouridine. As determined in S. faecium cultures, 4'-thio-5-fluorouridine decreased the total protein content of the cells more markedly than it did their RNA or DNA content. X-Ray crystallography showed that substitution of sulfur for the oxygen in the carbohydrate ring markedly changes the conformation of that moiety.

5-(2,2-Difluorovinyl)uracil (IV) was synthesized from 2,4-dimethoxy-5-bromopyrimidine by sequential formylation, difluoromethylenation, and removal of the 2- and 4-methyl groups. Condensation of the trimethylsilyl derivative of IV with protected D-erythro-pentofuranosyl chloride followed by separation of anomers and deblocking gave 5-(2,2-difluorovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (V). Compound V was active against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection as well as tumor cells transformed by the HSV-1 thymidine kinase gene.

5-Fluoro-1,3-oxazine-2,6(3H)-dione (3-oxa-FU) was synthesized by reacting 3-oxauracil with fluoroxytrifluoromethane and decomposing the adduct in the presence of a catalytic amount of Et3N. 5-Methyl-1,3-oxazine-2,6(3H)-dione (3-oxathymine) was prepared by polyphosphoric acid catalyzed ring closure of beta-(N-ethoxycarbonylamino)-2-methacrylic acid and by treatment of citraconimide with sodium hypochlorite. As determined in vitro, 3-oxa-FU was markedly inhibitory to S. faecium (ID50 = 9 X 10(-8) M) and E. coli (ID50 = 1 X 10(-7) M) but was less active against leukemia L-1210 cells (ID50 = 1 X 10(-5) M). At 1 x 10(-4) M, 3-oxathymine was inactive in these cell systems. Inhibition of the growth of S. faecium by 3-oxa-FU was reversed competitively by the natural pyrimidines. The relatively rapid hydrolysis of the compounds in the growth media is a major factor in determining their biological effectiveness.

New reactions of methyl 2,2-difluoro glycosides are described that were utilized for synthesis of some novel nucleoside derivatives. Thus, treatment of methyl 2-deoxy-2,2-difluoro-3,4-O-isopropylidene-alpha (beta)-D-erythro-pyranoside (2) with anhydrous HCl resulted in selective displacement of one fluorine atom with chlorine to give a 2-deoxy-2-chloro-2-fluoro glycoside 3. Reaction of 3 with silylated uracil in the presence of SnCl4 provided a 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-2-uracil-substituted glycoside 4. 2-Fluoro-2-deoxy glycosides substituted with other pyrimidines at C-2 were prepared similarly by the reaction of acylated 2,2-difluoro or 2-fluoro-2-bromo derivatives (5 and 6, respectively) with silylated pyrimidines. The resulting 2'-fluorinated isonucleosides were evaluated for their antitumor and antiviral activities. Compounds 7a,b, 8a,b, and 10a,b demonstrated 50% tumor cell growth inhibition in vitro (IC50) at 10(-4)-10(-5) M. At similar concentrations no antiviral activity was observed in vitro. Therapeutic activity was obtained with 7a,b and 8a,b in DBA/2 mice with L1210 leukemia. Administration of 7a,b at 500 mg/kg, ip daily, for 5 consecutive days, resulted in a 55% increase in life span (% ILS) while administration of 8a,b in the same manner at 200 mg/kg caused a 29% ILS. Treatment with 7a,b to mice with drug-resistant L1210 sublines (5-FU and araC) resulted in 22 and 57% increases in life span, respectively. Lewis lung carcinoma and M5076 sarcoma in mice also responded to the administration of 7a,b with reductions in tumor growth for both tumors and significant increases in life span in mice with Lewis lung carcinoma. Although the mechanism of action of 7a,b is not known, it has been found to be a relatively fast-acting, cell-cycle nonspecific cytotoxic agent that decreases [3H]deoxyuridine incorporation, blocks L1210 cells at the G2 phase of the cell cycle, and is not reversed by exogenous thymidine. These 2'-fluorinated isonucleosides have demonstrated biological activity and may have potential as antitumor drugs.

In view of the marked antitumor activity of 3-deazauridine, the synthesis of 4-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl)-1,3-dihydroxybenzene (1,3-dideazauridine) and its dibenzyl derivative was carried out. 4-Bromo-1,3-dihydroxybenzene was converted to its dibenzyl derivative, which, upon reaction with n-butyllithium followed by treatment with anhydrous cadmium chloride, gave bis(1,3-dibenzyloxyphenyl-4)cadmium. Condensation of this intermediate with 2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-D-ribofuranosyl chloride in refluxing toluene, and subsequent removal of the protecting benzoyl groups, afforded 4-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl)-1,3-dibenzyloxybenzene which, upon catalytic hydrogenation over Pd/C, furnished the desired 4-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl)-1,3-dihydroxybenzene. The beta configuration at the anomeric center was established by NMR and hydrogen bonding studies. 4-(Beta-D-ribofuranosyl)-1,3-dibenzyloxybenzene inhibited the growth of leukemia L1210 cells by 50% at 7 x 10(-6) M, and that of mammary carcinoma TA3 cells at 5 x 10(-5) M. Dideazauridine itself was less active, inhibiting the leukemia L1210 but not the TA3 cells at 1 x 10(-4) M, but the compound was significantly active against herpes simplex (type I) virus in vitro.