Current developments in the synthesis and biological activity of aza-C-nucleosides: immucillins and related compounds.

This review will describe the recent advances in the field of aza-C-nucleosides with a particular emphasis on immucillins and related compounds. The review will cover both chemical and biological aspects concerning their preparation and/or occurrence in Nature as well as their biological properties which include glycosidase, glycosyl transferase, and nucleoside hydrolase and phosphorylase inhibition, among others. These enzymatic inhibitory properties are the basis for the potential use of the title compounds in viral and parasitic infections, cancer and genetic disorders.