Some 4'-C-ethynyl-2'-deoxy purine nucleosides showed the most potent anti-HIV activity among the series of 4'-C-substituted 2'-deoxynucleosides whose 4'-C-substituents were methyl, ethyl, ethynyl and so on. Our hypothesis is that the smaller the substituent at the C-4' position they have, the more acceptable biological activity they show. Thus, 4'-C-cyano-2'-deoxy purine nucleosides, whose substituent is smaller than the ethynyl group, will have more potent antiviral activity. To prove our hypothesis, we planned to develop an efficient synthesis of 4'-C-cyano-2'-deoxy purine nucleosides (4'-CNdNs) and 4'-C-ethynyl-2'-deoxy purine nucleosides (4'-EdNs). Consequently, we succeeded in developing an efficient synthesis of six 2'-deoxy purine nucleosides bearing either a cyano or an ethynyl group at the C-4' position of the sugar moiety from 2'-deoxyadenosine and 2,6-diaminopurine 2'-deoxyriboside. Unfortunately, 4'-C-cyano derivatives showed lower activity against HIV-1, and two 4'-C-ethynyl derivatives suggested high toxicity in vivo.
We have developed a new class of pyridine catalyst for asymmetric acylation of sec-alcohols having a conformation switch system in which interconversion between self-complexation and uncomplexation is induced by acylation and deacylation steps, respectively. Kinetic resolution of various sec-alcohols is performed by the asymmetric acylation with isobutyric anhydride using 0.05 to 0.5 mol % catalyst 1a with s values of up to 30. In addition, dl-diols are also resolved in a similar manner in good selectivity. Moreover, asymmetric desymmetrization of meso-1,X-diols (X = 2-6) are achieved in the presence of 0.5-5 mol % catalyst 1a. A working model for the reaction mechanism is proposed on the basis of the (1)H NMR measurements, X-ray structural analyses, and AM1 and DFT calculations, where the conformation switch system governed by an intramolecular cation-pi interaction between a pyridinium ring and a thiocarbonyl group would play a key role to attain both good selectivity and high catalytic activity.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.