4
V. VERMA ET AL.
in yield of the products when polar aprotic solvents were used rather than polar protic
solvents like H O because tosyl groups in heptitols were substituted by nucleobases via
2
SN2 mechanism. Further, DMF is a solvent of choice over DMSO because the solvation
of 18-Crown-6 with DMF is lesser than with DMSO. Therefore, 18-Crown-6 is more
easily available for complex formation with K CO in DMF than in DMSO which
2
3
resulted in higher formation constant for the complex formed between 18-Crown-6 and
[
23]
K CO in DMF than in DMSO.
2
3
The isomeric hexopyranosyl homonucleosides that may form due to attachment from
N3 position of pyrimidine nucleobases were not isolated in any of the cases. This may
be because of its lower nucleophilicity and higher steric hindrance. Further, debenzyla-
tion of hexopyranosyl homonucleosides 6a–d with 10% palladium-charcoal in methanol
under H atmosphere led to the formation of 1-(b-D-glucopyranosyl)methyl-uracil (7a),
2
1-(b-D-glucopyranosyl)methyl-thymine (7 b), 1-(b-D-mannopyranosyl)methyl-uracil (7c)
and 1-(b-D-mannopyranosyl)methyl-thymine (7d) in 80%, 78%, 80%, and 80% yields,
respectively.
The sugar precursor for the synthesis of hexopyranosyl double-headed pyrimidine
homonucleosides was dihydroxy 2,6-anhydro-3,4,5-tri-O-benzyl-heptitols 8a–b which, in
turn were obtained by selective removal of primary O-benzyl group from 2,6-anhydro-
3
,4,5,7-tetra-O-benzyl-heptitols 3a–3b using TFA-acetic anhydride/sodium methoxide-
[
20]
methanol.
The dihydroxy 2,6-anhydro-heptitols 8a and 8b were treated with three
equivalents of tosyl chloride in pyridine followed by the reaction of the resulted ditosy-
lated heptitols 9a and 9b with uracil (5a) and thymine (5b) in DMF in the presence of
ꢀ
1
8-Crown-6 and K CO at 90 C to afford tri-O-benzylated hexopyranosyl double-
2
3
headed homonucleosides 10a–c in 58% to 90% yields in two steps (Scheme 2). The
reaction of ditosylated 2,6-anhydro-mannoheptitol 9b with thymine (5b) under identical
condition led to the formation of complex mixture and the corresponding hexopyrano-
syl thymine double-headed homonucleosides 10d could not be isolated in pure form
even after many attempts. The debenzylation of homonucleosides 10a–c with 10% palla-
0
dium-charcoal in methanol under H atmosphere led to the formation of 1-[6 -deoxy-
2
0
0 0
6
-(uracil-1-yl)-b-D-glucopyranosyl]methyl-uracil (11a), 1-[6 -deoxy-6 -(thymin-1-yl)-
b-D-glucopyranosyl]methyl-thymine (11b), and 1-[6 -deoxy-6 -(uracil-1-yl)-b-D-manno-
pyranosyl]methyl-uracil (11c) in 80%, 70%, and 72% yields, respectively.
0
0
Structures of all synthesized intermediates and targeted hexopyranosyl pyrimidine
homonucleosides and hexopyranosyl double-headed pyrimidine homonucleosides, i.e.,
3
a–b, 4a–b, 6a–d, 7a–d, 8a–b, 9a–b, 10a–c, and 11a–c were unambiguously established
1
13
on the basis of their spectral ( H, C NMR, IR spectra and HRMS) data analysis.
Structures of known compounds, i.e., 3a–b and 8a–b were further confirmed by com-
[
20]
parison of their spectral data with those reported in the literature.
Conclusion
The present methodology describes a simple procedure for the synthesis of fourteen
novel benzylated and corresponding hydroxylhexopyranosyl pyrimidine homonucleo-
sides and hexopyranosyl double-headed pyrimidine homonucleosides from 2,6-anhydro-
heptitols derived from D-glucose and D-mannose. The notable features of the developed