Synthesis of complex ethynyladenosines using organic triflic enolates in palladium-atalyzed reactions: Potential agonists for the adenosine A2 receptor

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(97)00326-8

Many high affinity adenosine A₂ receptor agonists contain substituents at position 2 of the purine base. In the search for new methodology to develop C-2 substituted adenosine analogues, we have applied organic triflates in palladium-catalyzed cross-couplings that resulted in new 2-cycloalkylated ethynyl-adenosines. The organic triflates are derived from commercially available ketones and, when used in the crosscouplings, result generally in clean reactions with good yields. These are the first examples of the utilization of organic triflates in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in the synthesis of modified nucleosides.