The new purinyl homo-carbonucleosides 10 and 17a were prepared from 1,4-diphenyl-5,8-dihydro-5,8-methanophthalazine by one-pot ozonolysis and reductive cleavage, followed by monoprotection with an Ac or TBDMS group, mesylation of the resulting diol and replacement of the mesyl group with 6-chloropurine in the presence of NaH and 18-crown-6 ether. Homo-carbonucleosides 12 and 13 were then obtained from 10 by substitution of the chlorine in purine position 6. Compounds 17b and 19 were obtained from 17a in the same way.In keeping with the general antineoplastic and antileukemic properties of purine bases and their nucleosides, 1 natural and synthetic carbocyclic nucleosides can have significant antitumour and/or antiviral activity. 2 In particular, carbovir 3 (1) and abacavir 4 (2) have potent anti-HIV activity. In previous work, our research group synthesized several abacavir analogues with structures of type 3 (Figure 1), 5 some of which have shown marked cytostatic activity against human T lymphocytes (Molt4/C8 and CEM/0 cells). 6
Figure 1Most of these analogues have had an oxo or amino group at purine position 6 so as to maintain the ability of the natural nucleobase to form hydrogen bonds with polymerases and other key enzymes of nucleic acid metabolism. 7 In order to modify the lipophilicity and polar interactions of the pseudosugar moiety while retaining its rigidity, we have also begun to explore a class of analogues in which the benzene ring of 3 is replaced by an aromatic heterocycle. 8 Here we describe the synthesis of a number of compounds of this kind in which the heterocycle is pyridazine.The key intermediate 6 was prepared from 1,4-diphenyl-5,8-dihydro-5,8-methanophthalazine (4, obtained 9 from 2,3-dibenzoylbicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene). Initially, this was achieved by a method which parallels that previously employed 8b to prepare 1-and 2-alkyl derivatives of exo, exo-5,6-dihydroxy-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-4,7-methanoindazoles. In this method (Method A), hydroxylation of the 'exposed' double bond of 4 was followed by oxidative cleavage of the resulting diol 5 (with sodium periodate and silica gel) 8,10 and reduction of the dialdehyde product by NaBH 4 in MeOH (Scheme 1). Subsequently, we discovered that 4 can be transformed cleanly into 6 in high yield (93%) in a one-pot process consisting of ozonolysis followed by reductive cleavage of the resulting ozonide (Method B).To monoprotect compound 6 in readiness for its coupling with the nucleobase, and in the light of previous experience, 5 we first attempted to acetylate it by enzymatic transesterification from vinyl acetate in dimethylformamide with Novozym ® 435 as catalyst. However, several attempts under various reaction conditions (temperatures of 20-50 °C and reaction times of 1-18 h) failed to provide acetylated products, so chemical acetylation was resorted to. Refluxing a 1:1.06:2.3 mixture of compound 6, acetic anhydride and pyridine in anhydrous THF for 8 hours afforded a 58% yield of 7 accompanied by a 32% yield of the diacetylate 8.Although Mi...