Activity of acyclic 6-(phenylselenenyl)pyrimidine nucleosides against human immunodeficiency viruses in primary lymphocytes.

Several 6-phenylselenenyl-substituted acyclouridine derivatives were prepared for evaluation as antiviral agents. Lithiation of the tert-butyldimethylsilyl-protected acyclonucleosides 4a-f with lithium diisopropylamide at -78 degrees C, followed by reaction with diphenyl diselenide as an electrophile, and subsequent removal of the protecting group with tetra n-butylammonium fluoride gave 1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6-(phenylselenenyl)uracils 6a-f in 50-70% overall yield. The potency and spectrum of activity of compounds 6a-f against HIV-1 in vitro was similar to HEPT (1), a related 6-phenylthio acyclonucleoside. However, whereas HEPT inhibited HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, the selenium-containing derivatives were ineffective, suggesting a different mechanism of action. Of significance was the finding that the 6-phenylselenenyl acyclonucleosides inhibited also HIV-2 in primary human lymphocytes.