The Cohalogenation of 1-N-Vinylpyrimidinediones: A New Approach to Nucleoside Analogs

Abstract

A new approach to the synthesis of nucleoside analogs has been developed, which involves initial chemo- and regioselective cohalogenation of 1-N-vinylpyrimidinediones 10a,b using N-bromosuccinimide in the presence of variously substituted propargylic alcohols. Radical carbocyclization of the resulting β-bromo propargylic ethers 17-22 then leads to 3-methylenetetrahydrofurans 23-26. In such cyclizations, different reactivities have been observed for diastereomers 22a,b obtained by cohalogenation with (R)-1-benzyloxybut-3-yn-2-ol; although the expected anti 3-methylenetetrahydrofurans 27a,b were obtained, the syn diastereomers 28a,b were only the minor constituents of a mixture in which bicyclonucleosides 29a,b were the major components. The formation of 29a,b results from a 1,6-hydrogen transfer followed by cyclization, which might be favored by a CH-π interaction in radical intermediate synII.