The design of novel nucleoside analogues bearing a C2′ all-carbon quaternary center is described. The construction of this all-carbon stereogenic center involves the use of photoredox catalysis to initiate an intramolecular attack of a silyltethered vinyl functionality on a tertiary radical. Density functional theory calculations were performed to explore the origin of the high syn diastereoselectivity obtained through the preferred 5-exo-trig cyclization mode. The intramolecular vinyl addition also enables the preparation of the complementary configuration of the C2′ all-carbon stereocenter when performed after lactonization.

Functionalized γ-butyrolactones are privileged structures in the field of medicinal chemistry; they are found in numerous natural products and synthetic compounds with diverse biological activities. The oxidative ring contraction of 3,4-dihydropyran-2-one derivatives represents a promising yet underappreciated strategy to access these compounds. To the best of our knowledge, very few examples of this strategy have been reported, with limited investigation of the influence of stereogenic centers on the starting dihydropyranones. We investigated the iodine­(III)-mediated contraction of a representative set of dihydropyranone derivatives. The method gives rapid access to functionalized γ-butyrolactones in good yields. The reaction scope was investigated, and the method was found to support various levels of substituents, even enabling access to sterically congested quaternary centers. The stereoselectivity was investigated using chiral substrates and a chiral iodine­(III) reagent.

The design of novel xylo-like nucleoside analogues bearing a C3' all-carbon quaternary center and a C2'hydroxy substituent is described. Synthesis of this scaffold makes use of highly diastereoselective transformations on acyclic substrates. Central to the approach is formation of a 2,4-syn cyanohydrin from cyanide addition onto an aldehyde through a proposed seven-membered ring chelate using a bidentate Lewis acid. In addition, a highly diastereoselective Mukaiyama aldol reaction, an intramolecular radical atom cyclization, and thioaminal formation are used to generate this novel molecule. A series of related nucleoside analogues are being tested as antiviral and anticancer agents.