[Alkylating nucleosides. Synthesis and cytostatic activity of new types of halomethyl-substituted nucleosides].

Concerning the potential use of chemically alkylating halomethyl groups as the active moiety of cytotoxic compounds, two new types of alkylating nucleosides, namely C-ribosyl halomethylthiazoles and 5'-0-haloacetyl-uridine or -inosine, have been synthesized. As in the case of previously reported cytostatic N-glycosyl halomethyl pentaheterocycles, the design of the first type was based on the alkylating ability of benzylic type halides. The design of the second type of nucleosides in which the alkylating group in attached to the sugar, was based on the soft alkylating capacity of alpha-halo substituted esters. All the compounds have been tested against HeLa cell cultures and some of them have shown significant cytostatic activity. Relationships between these activities and certain structural features are discussed.