Composition, synthesis, and use of new substituted pyran and pterin compounds

1. A method for preparing a compound of structure I:

wherein X is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and sulfur and, R 1 and R 2 are each independently unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl,

comprising:

a. obtaining an acetylene compound of structure II:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are defined as above for structure I;

b. combining the compound of structure II with a hydroxyl protecting group which forms a compound of structure III:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are defined as above for structure I, and Y is a hydroxyl protecting group;

c. deprotonating the compound of structure III and condensing the compound of the structure III with ethyl 2,2-diethoxy acetate ester which forms a substituted acetylene compound of structure IV:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are defined as above for structure I, Et is ethyl, and Y is as defined above for structure III

d. combining the substituted acetylene compound of structure IV with sulfurating agent 4-phenyl-1,3-dithiolane-2-thione to form a dithiolene substituted compound of structure V:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are defined as above for structure I, and Et is as defined above for structure IV; and

e. deprotecting acetal in the compound of structure V to form the compound of structure I.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the acetylene compound is 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step b further comprises catalyst.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the catalyst comprises p-toluensulfonic acid.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydroxyl protecting group in steps b and c is tetrahydropyran.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the deprotecting of the acetal in the compound of structure V comprises combining the compound of structure V with trimethylsilyl trifluoromethane sulfonate.