α-DNA. Synthesis, Characterization and Base-Pairing Properties of Unnatural α-Oligodeoxyribonucleotides

Abstract

The novel hexadeoxyribonucleotides α-d(CpCpTpTpCpC) and α-d(CpApTpGpCpG), in which each glycosidic linkage exhibit the anomeric α-configuration, were synthesized by the phosphotriester method. ¹H-NMR and thermal denaturation studies provided evidence for these a-oligonucleotides to exhibit a secondary structure similar to that of the natural nucleic acids.