Synthesis of novel deoxynucleoside S-methylphosphonic acids using S-(diisopropylphosphonomethyl)isothiouronium tosylate, a new equivalent of mercaptomethylphosphonate

Abstract

The synthesis of the novel nucleotide analogues 5′-deoxynucleoside-5′-S-methylphosphonates, starting from 5′-deoxy-5′-haloribonucleosides, 5′-O-tosylribonucleosides, and 2′-O-triflylnucleosides, is described. The phosphonothiolation of these compounds was achieved using S-(diisopropylphosphonomethyl)isothiouronium tosylate, a new, odourless, and efficient equivalent of mercaptomethylphosphonate. The thiolate anion of mercaptomethylphosphonate was generated in situ from the isothiouronium salt in both protic and aprotic solvents using two equivalents of sodium iso-propoxide. The prepared nucleoside 5′-S-methylphosphonates were deprotected, and the free phosphonic acids were transformed into diphosphoryl derivatives (the NTP analogues). Both mononucleotides and NTP analogues were studied as substrates/inhibitors of several enzymes that are involved in the nucleoside/nucleotide metabolism.