Synthesis and antiviral activity of the carbocyclic analogues of (E)-5-(2-halovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridines and (E)-5-(2-halovinyl)-2'-deoxycytidines.

The carbocyclic analogues of the potent and selective antiherpes agents (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU), (E)-5-(2-iodovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (IVDU), and (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxycytidine (BVDC) were synthesized by conventional methods with use of carbocyclic 2'-deoxyuridine as starting material. C-BVDU, C-IVDU, and C-BVDC were equally selective, albeit slightly less potent, in their antiherpes action than BVDU, IVDU, and BVDC. Although resistant to degradation by pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylases, C-BVDU did not prove more effective than BVDU in the systemic (oral, intraperitoneal) or topical treatment of HSV-1 infections in mice.