Abstract
The 5-oxo-6-methylene-pyrimidine-2,4-dione intermediate (6) that is formed when 5-acetoxy-6-acetoxymethyl-1-β-D-(5-O-acetyl-2,3-O-isopropylidene)-ribofuranosyluracil (5) is treated with sodium hydroxide undergoes cyclization at pH 14 to give 2′,3′-O-isopropylidene-5-hydroxy- O 5, 6-methanouridine (8) in good yield. Conversion of 8 into the 5-triflate ester 14 followed by reduction with [(Ph)3P]4Pd/Bu3SnH and deblocking with acetic acid then affords O 5′, 6-methanouridine (4) Conformational studies (NOE difference spectra, vicinal 1H-13C coupling constants, NOESY and CD spectra, molecular modeling) indicate that the C7-methylene group of 4 projects towards the furanose ring oxygen atom, producing a glycosyl rotation angle of about − 160°.