The synthesis of some branched-chain-sugar nucleoside analogues.

1-(2,3-Epoxy-5-O-trityl-beta-D-lyxofuranosyl)uracil was treated with a number of carbon nucleophiles. Ethynyl lithium gave 3'-deoxy-3'-ethynyl-5'-O-trityl-ara-uridine, which was reduced to the corresponding 3'-ethenyl compound. Sodium cyanide gave 3'-cyano-3'-deoxy-5'-O-trityl-ara-uridine which upon alkaline hydrolysis gave the corresponding 3'-carboxamido compound. 1,3-Dithian-2-yl lithium gave 3'-deoxy-3'-(1,3-dithian-2-yl)-5'-O-trityl-ara-uridine. The trityl group was removed from each of these compounds by mild acidic hydrolysis. Treatment of 2 with 0.1M H2sO4 and mercury (II) acetate afforded 3'-acetyl-3'-deoxy-ara-uridine which upon reduction with NaBH4 gave 3'-deoxy-3'-(1-hydroxyethan-1-yl)-ara-uridine. Acetylation of 6 yielded 5'-O-acetyl-3'-acetyl-2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxyuridine which upon reduction with NaBH4 produced a mixture of 5'-O-acetyl-2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxy-3'-(1-hydroxyethan -1-yl)uridine and 1-(R)[5-(S)-acetoxymethyl-4-(1-hydroxyethan-1-yl)-tetrahydrofuran- 2-yl]- uracil. Reduction of 14 with Raney nickel followed by removal of the trityl group gave 3'-deoxy-3'-methyl-ara-uridine.