Photochemical synthesis of nucleoside analogues from cyclobutanones: bicyclic and isonucleosides.

The preparation of two nucleoside analogues are reported. Both syntheses involve a key photochemical ring-expansion of cyclobutanones to an oxacarbene and its subsequent scavenging by 6-chloropurine. The synthesis of a bicyclic (locked) purine starts from a oxabicycloheptanone with a hydroxymethyl pendant. The preparation of an isonucleoside uses a cyclobutanone with an alpha-substituted 6-chloropurine. Irradiation of the latter produces an isonucleoside and acyclic nucleoside analogues.