Seven phosphane‐functionalized deoxyuridines have been prepared by amide bond formation between aminodeoxyuridines and phosphanylcarboxylic acids. X‐ray crystal structures for two of these new modified nucleosides have been obtained. The same coupling method has been extended to oligonucleotides. The phosphane containing strands have been purified and characterized by MALDI‐TOF and, for the first time, 31P NMR spectrometry. Coordination of a phosphane‐modified 15‐mer to a [PdCl(η3‐allyl)] moiety has been confirmed by 31P NMR spectroscopy.

The cover picture shows the formation of a 15‐base‐long DNA strand from individual nucleosides. The light‐blue nucleoside has been modified so that it can form an amide bond with a phosphanylcarboxylic acid, once the strand has been prepared. In this way, artificial “metallo‐DNAzymes” can be developed by complex formation of transition metals with phosphane‐modified oligonucleotides, bridging the cap between homogeneous and biocatalysis. This is symbolised in the background by the famous Swilcan Bridge at the 18th hole of the Old Course of St Andrews, Scotland. Details are discussed in the article by P. C. J. Kamer et al. on p. 3229 ff.