Abstract
The facile synthesis of several substituted carbohydrates that are amenable for the preparation of 2′,3′-dideoxy-3′-hydroxymethyl nucleosides are reported. Elaboration of a previously reported analog, 5-O-benzoyl-3-deoxy-3-(benzyloxy)methyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-β-D- ribofuranose (4) has provided two 2,3-dideoxy-3-branched ribose derivatives 5-O-benzoyl-2,3-dideoxy-3-(benzyloxy)methyl-1-O-methyl-β-D-ribofuranose (7) and 1.5-di-O-benzoyl-2,3-dideoxy-3-(benzyloxy)methyl-(α,β)-D-ribofuranose (10). Due to problems involved with the separation of anomeric mixtures when these carbohydrates were condensed with an heterocycle, another versatile synthon 5-O-benzoyl-3-deoxy-3-(benzyloxy)methyl-2-O-t-butyldimethylslyl-1-O- methyl-β-D-ribofuranose (12) was synthesized. The utility of this compound (12) is demonstrated in the total synthesis of 1-[3-deoxy-3-hydroxymethyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl]thymine (20).