Synthesis of novel L-N-MCd4T as a potent anti-HIV agent.

L-N-MCd4T (1) has been synthesized as a potent anti-HIV agent starting from (R)-epichlorohydrin using tandem alkylation, chemoselective reduction of ester in the presence of lactone functional group, RCM reaction and Mitsunobu reaction as key steps and was found to be a very potent anti-HIV-1 (EC50 = 6.76 microg mL(-1)) agent without cytotoxicity up to 100 microg mL(-1), indicating that the anti-HIV-1 activity found is similar to that of ddI (EC50 = 4.95 microg mL(-1)), which is used clinically for the treatment of AIDS patients.