Synthesis of 4,6-dideoxy-3-fluoro-2-keto-β-D-glucopyranosyl analogues of 5-fluorouracil, N6-benzoyl adenine, uracil, thymine, N4-benzoyl cytosine and evaluation of their antitumor activities

The synthesis of the unsaturated 4,6-dideoxy-3-fluoro-2-keto-beta-D-glucopyranosyl nucleosides of 5-fluorouracil (6a), N-6-benzoyl adenine (6b), uracil (6c), thymine (6d) and N-4-benzoyl cytosine (6e), is described. Monoiodination of compounds 1a,b, followed by acetylation, catalytic hydrogenation and finally regioselective 2'-O-deacylation afforded the partially acetylated dideoxynucleoside analogues of 5-fluorouracil (5a) and N-6-benzoyl adenine (5b), respectively. Direct oxidation of the free hydroxyl group at the 2'-position of 5a,b, with simultaneous elimination reaction of the beta-acetoxyl group, afforded the desired unsaturated 4,6-dideoxy-3-fluoro-2-keto-beta-glucopyranosyl derivatives 6a,b. Compounds c-e were used as starting materials for the synthesis of the dideoxy unsaturated carbonyl nucleosides of uracil (6c), thymine (6d) and N4-benzoyl cytosine (6e). Similarly a protection-selective deprotection sequence followed by oxidation of the free hydroxyl group at the 2'-position of the dideoxy benzoylated analogues 9c-e with simultaneous elimination reaction of the p-benzoyl group, gave the desired nucleosides 6c-e. None of the compounds was inhibitory to a broad spectrum of DNA and RNA viruses at subtoxic concentrations. The 5-fluorouracil derivative 6a was more cytostatic (50% inhibitory concentration ranging between 0.2 and 12 mu M) than the other compounds. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.