Synthesis of 4'-Methoxy 2'-Deoxynucleoside Phosphoramidites for Incorporation into Oligonucleotides.

This unit contains detailed synthetic protocols for the preparation of 4'-methoxy 2'-deoxynucleoside phosphoramidite monomers for A, G, C, T, and U. First, 3'-silyl-protected 2'-deoxynucleosides (dNs) are converted in two steps to 4',5'-enol acetates as the key starting compounds. Next, 4'-methoxy dNs are prepared by a one-pot procedure comprising N-iodosuccinimide-promoted methoxylation, hydrolysis, and reduction of the formed intermediates. Finally, 3'-phosphoramidites of 4'-methoxy dNs are obtained by a routine three-step procedure. Title phosphoramidite monomers are suitable for the synthesis of oligonucleotides on solid phase according to conventional amidite chemistry. 4'-Methoxy substitution represents a simple modification of the sugar part of dNs, where β-D-erythro epimers preferentially adopt N-type (C3'-endo, RNA-like) conformation. Moreover, it imparts superior chemical stability, nuclease resistance, and excellent hybridization properties to modified 4'-methoxyoligodeoxynucleotides. The strong tendency toward RNA-selective hybridization suggests its potential utilization in antisense and/or RNAi technologies. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.