176. Nucleosides part LXI: A simple procedure for the monomethylation of protected and unprotected ribonucleosides in the 2′-O- and 3′-O-position using diazomethane and the catalyst stannous chloride

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/hlca.19960790808

Intensive studies on the diazomethane methylation of the common ribonucleosides uridine, cytidine, adenosine, and guanosine and its derivatives were performed to obtain preferentially the 2′-O-methyl isomers. Methylation of 5′-O-(monomethoxytrityl)-N ²-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethoxycarbonyl]-O ⁶-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethyl]-guanosine (1) with diazomethane resulted in an almost quantitative yield of the 2′-nd 3′-O-methyl isomers which could be separated by simple silica-gel flash chromatography (Scheme 1). Adenosine, cytidine, and uridine were methylated with diazomethane with and without protection of the 5′-O-position by a mono- or dimethoxytrityl group and the aglycone moiety of adenosine and cytidine by the 2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethoxycarbonyl (npeoc) group (Schemes 2-4). Attempts to increase the formation of the 2′-O-methyl isomer as much as possible were based upon various solvents, temperatures, catalysts, and concentration of the catalysts during the methylation reaction.