A new synthetic pathway to adenine-2-d, 9-alkyladenine-2-d, adenosine-2-d, and 2'-deoxyadenosine-2-d.

Unambiguous assignments of the purine ring protons in the NMR spectra of adenine (Ia) and its 9-substituted derivatives (Ib-f) have been made by comparison with those of the isotopically labeled adenines VIIIa-f. 9-Alkyl-2-deuterioadenines (VIIIb-d), adenosine-2-d (VIIIe), and 2'-deoxyadenosine-2-d (VIIIf) were synthesized from the 9-substituted adenines Ib-f through cyclization of the monocyclic intermediates VIb-f with formic acid-d2 or 1-(formyl-d)-2(1H)-pyridone. Hydrolysis of VIIIe with 0.5 N aq. HCl gave adenine-2-d (VIIIa) in 77% yield.