This article describes the postsynthetic modification of oligonucleotides (ONs) containing 2'-deoxy-5-fluoromethyluridine (dUCH2F ) and 2'-deoxy-5-difluoromethyluridine (dUCHF2 ). Reactions of fully protected and controlled pore glass (CPG)-attached ONs containing dUCH2F and dUCHF2 in basic solutions result in deprotection of all protecting groups except for the 4,4'-dimethoxytrityl group, cleavage from CPG, and conversion of the fluoromethyl or difluoromethyl groups to afford the corresponding ONs containing 5-substituted 2'-deoxyuridines. Moreover, the difluoromethyl group can be converted to formyl, oxime, or hydrazone via the postsynthetic conversion of protection- and CPG-free ON containing dUCHF2 . © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Synthesis of fully protected and CPG-attached oligonucleotides containing 2'-deoxy-5-fluoromethyluridine and 2'-deoxy-5-difluoromethyluridine Basic Protocol 2: Postsynthetic modification of fully protected and CPG-attached oligonucleotides containing 2'-deoxy-5-fluoromethyluridine Basic Protocol 3: Postsynthetic modification of fully protected and CPG-attached oligonucleotide containing 2'-deoxy-5-difluoromethyluridine Basic Protocol 4: Postsynthetic modification of protection- and CPG-free oligonucleotide containing 2'-deoxy-5-difluoromethyluridine Support Protocol: Synthesis of 2'-deoxy-5-fluoromethyluridine and 2'-deoxy-5-difluoromethyluridine phosphoramidites.
Keywords: 5-difluoromethyluridine; 5-fluoromethyluridine; 5-substituted uracil base; oligonucleotide; postsynthetic modification.
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