Process for the synthesis of 2′-O-substituted purine nulceosides

1. A process for the synthesis of a 2′-O-substituted purine nucleoside comprising the steps of:

i) providing an 8,2′-cyclopurine nucleoside having an anhydro or thioanhydro linkage in an organic phase; and

ii) treating said 8,2′-cyclopurine nucleoside with a reagent that provides an alkoxy radical capable of opening said anhydro linkage thereby providing said 2′-O-substituted purine nucleoside.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of adding triphenylphosphorane or iodine.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said 2′-O-substituted purine nucleoside has formula I:

wherein:

Q is an optionally substituted purine;

R 1 is substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 12 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 12 alkenyl, or substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 12 alkynyl;

wherein each substituted group independently comprises one or more substituent groups independently selected from halogen, OJ 1 , SJ 1 , NJ 1 J 2 , N 3 , CN, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, substituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, substituted C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, substituted C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, C(═O)OJ 1 , C(═O)NJ 1 J 2 , C(═O)J 1 , O—C(═O)NJ 1 J 2 , N(H)C(═O)NJ 1 J 2 and N(H)C(═S)NJ 1 J 2 ;

each J 1 and J 2 is, independently, H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, substituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, substituted C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, substituted C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, C 1 -C 6 aminoalkyl, substituted C 1 -C 6 aminoalkyl or a protecting group; and

R 2 and R 3 are each independently hydrogen or a hydroxyl protecting group.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein Q is an optionally substituted purine radical selected from adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, xanthine, theobromine and caffeine.

5. The process of claim 3 wherein R 1 is selected from (CH 2 ) 1-2 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 1-2 CH═CH 2 , ((CH 2 ) 1-3 O(CH 2 ) 1-3 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 1-3 S(CH 2 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 2 ON(CH 3 ) 2 , (CH 2 ) 2 O(CH 2 ) 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 , CH 2 C(═O)N(—CH 3 ) 2 and CH 2 C(═O)N(H)CH 3 .

6. The process of claim 5 wherein R 1 is selected from CH 3 , CH 2 CH═CH 2 , (CH 2 ) 2 OCH 3 , (CH 2 ) 2 SCH 3 , (CH 2 ) 2 ON(CH 3 ) 2 , CH 2 C(═O)N(CH 3 ) 2 and CH 2 C(═O)N(H)CH 3 .

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkoxy radical is R 1 O.

8. The process of claim 3 wherein each hydroxyl protecting group is, independently, acetyl, t-butyl, t-butoxymethyl, methoxymethyl, tetrahydropyranyl, 1-ethoxyethyl, 1-(2-chloroethoxy)ethyl, 2-trimethylsilylethyl, p-chlorophenyl, 2,4-dinitrophenyl, benzyl, benzoyl, p-phenylbenzoyl, 2,6-dichlorobenzyl, diphenylmethyl, p-nitrobenzyl, triphenylmethyl (trityl), 4-methoxytrityl, 4,4′-dimethoxytrityl, trimethylsilyl, triethylsilyl, t-butyldimethylsilyl, t-butyldiphenylsilyl, triphenylsilyl, triisopropylsilyl, benzoylformate, chloroacetyl, trichloroacetyl, trifluoroacetyl, pivaloyl, 9-fluorenyl-methyl carbonate, mesylate, tosylate, triflate, trityl, monomethoxytrityl, dimethoxytrityl, trimethoxytrityl or substituted pixel.

9. The process of claim 3 wherein each hydroxyl protecting group is, independently, acetyl, benzyl, benzoyl, 2,6-dichlorobenzyl, t-butyldimethylsilyl, t-butyldiphenylsilyl, mesylate, tosylate, dimethoxytrityl (DMT), 9-phenylxanthine-9-yl (Pixyl) or 9-(p-methoxyphenyl)xanthine-9-yl (MOX).

10. The process of claim 3 wherein each hydroxyl protecting group is, independently, acetyl, benzyl, t-butyldimethylsilyl, t-butyldiphenylsilyl or dimethoxytrityl.

11. The process of claim 3 wherein each hydroxyl protecting group is, independently, trityl, monomethoxytrityl, dimethoxytrityl, trimethoxytrityl or a silyl group.

12. The process of claim 3 further comprising the step of reducing the 8-SH or 8-OH group of the 2′-O-substituted purine nucleoside.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the reducing step includes desulfurization with a metal catalyst.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the metal catalyst is Raney nickel, platinum, palladium on carbon (Pd/C), Ni 2 B or NiCl 2 /NaBH 4 .

15. The process of claim 1 wherein the reagent comprises a Lewis acid ester.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the Lewis acid ester is a borane alkoxide or a magnesium alkoxide.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the borane alkoxide is a trialkyl borate.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein the formula of the trialkyl borate is B(OR 1 ) 3 , wherein R 1 is (CH 2 ) 0-2 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 1-2 CH═CH 2 , ((CH 2 ) 1-3 O(CH 2 ) 1-3 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 1-3 S(CH 2 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 2 ON(CH 3 ) 2 , (CH 2 ) 2 O(CH 2 ) 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 , CH 2 C(═O)N(CH 3 ) 2 or CH 2 C(═O)N(H)CH 3 .

19. The process of claim 1 wherein the reagent is magnesium alkoxide of formula MgO(R 1 ) 2 , wherein R 1 is (CH 2 ) 0-2 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 1-2 CH═CH 2 , ((CH 2 ) 1-3 O(CH 2 ) 1-3 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 1-3 S(CH 2 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 2 ON(CH 3 ) 2 , (CH 2 ) 2 O(CH 2 ) 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 , CH 2 C(═O)N(CH 3 ) 2 or CH 2 C(═O)N(H)CH 3 .

20. The process of claim 1 wherein the reagent further includes a weak base selected from sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate or potassium carbonate.

21. The process of claim 1 wherein the organic phase is an alcohol, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethylacetamide, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, dioxane, a chlorinated solvent or a mixture thereof.

22. The process of claim 21 wherein the organic phase is an alcohol.

23. The process of claim 1 wherein the treating step includes heating at from about 120° C. to about 200° C.

24. The process of claim 1 wherein the treating step is performed in a pressure sealed vessel.

25. The process of claim 1 wherein the 8,2′-cyclopurine nucleoside is selected from one of formulas II, III and IV:

wherein:

R 2 and R 3 are each independently hydrogen or a hydroxyl protecting group;

W is N or CR 8 ;

R 8 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted group selected from amino, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy;

Z is S or O;

R 4 and R 6 are each independently selected from hydrogen, or an optionally substituted group selected from lower alkyl or lower alkoxy; and

R 5 and R 7 are each independently hydrogen or an optionally substituted group selected from amino, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy.

26. The process of claim 25 wherein Z is S.

27. The process of claim 26 wherein the 8,2′-cyclopurine nucleoside has formula II, R 5 is amino and R 6 is hydrogen.

28. A process for the synthesis of a 2′-O-substituted purine nucleoside of formula V:

wherein:

R 1 is (CH 2 ) 0-2 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 1-2 CH═CH 2 , ((CH 2 ) 1-3 O(CH 2 ) 1-3 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 1-3 S(CH 2 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 2 ON(CH 3 ) 2 , (CH 2 ) 2 O(CH 2 ) 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 , CH 2 C(═O)N(CH 3 ) 2 or CH 2 C(═O)N(H)CH 3 ;

R 2 and R 3 are each independently hydrogen or a hydroxyl protecting group;

W is N or CR 8 ;

R 8 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted group selected from lower alkyl and lower alkoxy;

R 5 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted group selected from amino, lower alkyl and lower alkoxy; and

R 6 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted group selected from lower alkyl and lower alkoxy;

comprising the steps of:

a) providing a 8,2′-thioanhydro purine nucleoside of formula VI:

b) treating the 8,2′-thioanhydro purine nucleoside of formula VI with a Lewis acid ester and a weak base in an organic phase to yield a 2′-O-substituted 8-thiopurine nucleoside of formula VII:

c) reducing the 2′-O-substituted 8-thiopurine nucleoside of formula (VII) to yield the 2′-O-substituted purine nucleoside of formula (V).

29. The process of claim 28 further comprising the step of adding triphenylphosphorane or iodine.

30. The process of claim 28 wherein Q is an optionally substituted purine selected from adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, xanthine, theobromine and caffeine.

31. The process of claim 30 wherein:

W is N;

R 1 is (CH 2 ) 2 OCH 3 ;

R 2 and R 3 are each hydrogen;

R 5 is amino; and

R 6 is hydrogen.

32. The process of claim 28 wherein the weak base is sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate or potassium carbonate.

33. The process of claim 28 wherein the treating step includes heating at from about 120° C. to about 200° C.

34. The process of claim 28 wherein the treating step is performed in a pressure sealed vessel.

35. The process of claim 28 wherein the Lewis acid ester is a borane or magnesium alkoxide.

36. The process of claim 35 wherein the borane alkoxide is a trialkyl borate.

37. The process of claim 36 wherein the formula of the trialkyl borate is B(OR 1 ) 3 , wherein R 1 is selected from (CH 2 ) 0-2 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 1-2 CH═CH 2 , ((CH 2 ) 1-3 O(CH 2 ) 1-3 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 1-3 S(CH 2 ) 1-3 H, CH 2 C(H)CH 2 , (CH 2 ) 2 ON(CH 3 ) 2 , (CH 2 ) 2 O(CH 2 ) 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 , CH 2 C(═O)N(CH 3 ) 2 and CH 2 C(═O)N(H)—CH 3 .

38. The process of claim 28 wherein the Lewis acid ester is magnesium alkoxide of formula MgO(R 1 ) 2 , wherein R 1 is selected from (CH 2 ) 0-2 CH 3 , (CH 2 ) 1-2 CH═CH 2 , ((CH 2 ) 1-3 O(CH 2 ) 1-3 ) 1-3 H, (CH 2 ) 1-3 S(CH 2 ) 1-3 H, CH 2 C(H)CH 2 , (CH 2 ) 2 ON(CH 3 ) 2 , (CH 2 ) 2 O(CH 2 ) 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 , CH 2 C(═O)N(CH 3 ) 2 and CH 2 C(═O)N(H)CH 3 .

39. The process of claim 28 wherein the reducing step includes desulfurization with a metal catalyst to obtain the 2′-O-substituted purine nucleoside of formula (II).

40. The process of claim 28 wherein the metal catalyst is selected from Raney nickel, platinum, palladium on carbon (Pd/C), Ni 2 B, and NiCl 2 /NaBH 4 .