A practical synthesis of 4'-thioribonucleosides, i.e., 4'-thiouridine, -cytidine, -adenosine, and -guanosine, which are versatile units for nucleic acids-based therapeutics, is described. Large-scale synthesis of 4-thiosugar starting from D-ribose was achieved (33%) in eight steps and with only three chromatographic purifications. After the appropriate chemical conversion of the 4-thiosugar, the resulting sulfoxide was subjected to the Pummerer reaction in the presence of silylated nucleobases. In reactions with silylated pyrimidine bases, the desired 4'-thioribonucleoside derivatives were obtained in good yield and β-selectively. On the other hand, N-7 isomers were obtained mainly in the Pummerer reaction with purine bases under the same conditions. However, the desired N-9 isomers were obtained in moderate yields when the reaction mixtures were subsequently heated under reflux. As a result, effective synthesis of 4'-thioribonucleosides was accomplished.
Keywords: 4-thiosugar; 4′-thioribonucleoside; D-ribose; Pummerer reaction; sulfoxide.
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