Pyridyl groups for protection of the imide functions of uridine and guanosine. Exploration of their displacement reactions for site-specific modifications of uracil and guanine bases.

For the protection of the O-4 function of uridine and the O-6 of guanosine, 2-, 3- and 4-hydroxypyridines, 2-pyridinethiol, 6-methyl-2-hydroxy- and 6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridines have been employed. These substituted pyridines gave pyridyl-N-and/or pyridyl-O-substituted derivatives, depending both upon the position of the hydroxyl and methyl groups in the pyridine ring, at the C-4 and the C-6 of the uracil and guanine residues, respectively. These groups were found to be good leaving groups for nucleophilic substitution reactions by amines, thiolates and oximate. If needed, the rate of these substitution reactions could be conveniently increased by almost 1000-fold by conversion of the pyridyl moiety to its methiodide.