Preparation of Purine and Pyrimidine Carbocyclic Nucleoside Derivatives
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molecules Article Synthesis of Cyclobutane Analogue 4: Preparation of Purine and Pyrimidine Carbocyclic Nucleoside Derivatives Noha Hasaneen 1 , Abdelaziz Ebead 2, Murtaza Hassan 1, Hanan Afifi 3, Howard Hunter 1, Edward Lee-Ruff 1,*, Nadia S. El-Gohary 4, Azza R. Maarouf 4 and Ali A. El-Emam 4 1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada 2 Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Arish University, Arish, Egypt 3 Basic Science Department, Faculty of Industrial Education, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt 4 Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt * Correspondence: leeruff@yorku.ca; Tel.: 416-736-5443 Academic Editors: Katherine L. Seley-Radtke and Theodore K. Dayie Received: 2 August 2019; Accepted: 29 August 2019; Published: 5 September 2019 Abstract: The coupling of 2-bromo-3-benzoyloxycyclobutanone with purine under basic conditions produces two regioisomers consisting of the N-7 and N-9 alkylated products in equal amounts in their racemic forms. The distribution of the isomers is consistent with the charge delocalization between the N-7 and N-9 positions of the purinyl anion. The structural assignments and relative stereochemistry of each regioisomer were based on 1 and 2D NMR techniques. The relative stereochemistry of the C-2 and C-3 substituents in each regioisomer was the trans orientation consistent with steric factors in the coupling step. The N-9 regioisomer was reduced with sodium borohydride to give the all trans cyclobutanol as the major product in a stereoselective manner. The alcohol was debenzoylated with sodium methoxide in a transesterification step to give the nucleoside analogue. The regioisomeric pyrimidine nucleosides were prepared by Vorbrüggen coupling of the 3-hydroxymethylcyclobutanone triflate with either thymine or uracil followed by stereoselective hydride addition. Regiospecificity of the coupling at the N-1 position was observed and stereoselective reduction to the trans-disubstituted cyclobutanol structure assignments was based on NMR data. Keywords: nucleoside analogs; cyclobutanes; purine; uracil; thymine 1. Introduction Nucleosides constitute the components of nucleic acids. These are linked by phosphate units in the structures of DNA and RNA. Structural modifications of nucleosides (nucleoside analogs) result in changes to chemical and biological processes involving nucleic acids, resulting in their physiological properties as antiviral and anticancer agents [1,2]. Carbocyclic derivatives in which the ribose ring is replaced by a carbocycle enhances the metabolic stabilities of these potential drugs [3]. The cyclopentenyl derivatives Carbovir [4] and Abacavir [5] developed in the 1990s are some of the early examples of effective antiviral agents. With the observation of potent antiviral activity of the natural occurring Oxetanocin A, [6] the development and commercialization of the synthetic carbocyclic analogues, Cyclobut-A and Cyclobut-G (Lobucavir), as well as related analogs were realized [7–13]. In view of rapid mutations of viruses becoming resistant to current drug therapies, the quest for new Reverse Transcriptase (RT) inhibitors with structural modifications is an ongoing pursuit. In the current study we report the stereospecific synthesis of cyclobutanols to which a nucleobase is attached to the C-2 position of the carbocycle, and the C-3 position by a methylene pendant in a cis orientation to the alcohol function. Furthermore, the regiochemistry of both N-7 and N-9 isomers of purinonucleosides produced in the coupling reaction was unambiguously assigned. Molecules 2019, 24, 3235; doi:10.3390/molecules24183235 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules Molecules 2019, 24, x 2 of 18 attached to the C-2 position of the carbocycle, and the C-3 position by a methylene pendant in a cis orientation to the alcohol function. Furthermore, the regiochemistry of both N-7 and N-9 isomers of Moleculespurinonucleosides2019, 24, 3235 produced in the coupling reaction was unambiguously assigned. 2 of 16 We have already described the coupling of 6-chloropurine to the C-2 position and the C-3 positionWe haveby a methylene already described pendant the in coupling recent publications of 6-chloropurine [14,15]. to In the theC-2 currentposition study and we the reportC-3 position on the bycoupling a methylene reactions pendant of in recentthe publicationsparent purine [14, 15].nucleobase In the current to studythe weC report-2 position on the couplingof 3- reactionshydroxylmethylcyclobutanol, of the parent purine nucleobase and the coupling to the C-2 reactionsposition of ofpyrimidine 3-hydroxylmethylcyclobutanol, bases to a methylene bridged and the couplingC-3 cyclobutanol. reactions These of pyrimidine compounds bases constitute to a methylene novel bridgednucleosideC-3 analogscyclobutanol. with potential These compounds biological constituteactivities. novel nucleoside analogs with potential biological activities. 2. Results and Discussion 2.1. Synthesis of Purine Carbocyclic Analogues 2.1.1. N N-Alkylation-Alkylation of P Purineurine to Bromocyclobutanone 1 DirectDirect alkylation of heterocyclic bases (purine and pyrimidine) with alkyl halides is well documented [1616,,17]. Such Such an an approach approach also also bears bears some similarity to the reportedreported glycosylationglycosylation procedure ofof RobinsRobins [ 18[18],], where where the the sodium sodium salts salts of of a purinea purine base base react react with withα-halo-sugars α-halo-sugars to give to give the correspondingthe corresponding glyconucleosides. glyconucleosides. Based on these these observations, observations, we we prepared prepared cyclobutanone cyclobutanone derivatives derivatives possessing possessing purine purine as asan anα- αsubstituent-substituent using using the the following following method method [19]. [19 The]. Thepota potassiumssium salt of salt purine of purine (2), produced (2), produced in situ in using situ usingKOH KOHin the in presence the presence of tris(dioxa of tris(dioxa-3,6-heptyl)amine-3,6-heptyl)amine (TDA (TDA-1)-1) in acetonitrile, in acetonitrile, was was treated treated with with α- αbromocyclobutanone-bromocyclobutanone 1 1andand resulted resulted in in the the formation formation of of the the NN-9-9 coupledcoupled product product 33 inin an 11.7% yield as well as the N-7N-7 regioisomerregioisomer 44 inin anan 11.2%11.2% yieldyield (Scheme(Scheme1 1)).. TheThe assignmentassignment ofof thethe attachedattached sitesite ofof 1 13 the purine derivatives 33 and 4 was established usingusing 1D1D 1HH-- and 13CC-NMR-NMR as as well well as as 2D 2D COSY, COSY, HSQC HSQC,, and HMBC experiments. Scheme 1.1. Base assisted coupling of purine with Bromoketone 1.. A number of NMR studies have been reported [20–22] forfor thethe N-7N-7 andand N-9N-9 purinepurine alkylatedalkylated derivatives and certain patternspatterns emergeemerge forfor thethe 11H-H- andand 1313CC-chemical-chemical shifts. The The signals signals of H H-8,-8, C C-1’,-1’, C-8,C-8, and more significantlysignificantly C-4C-4 are shifted upfieldupfield for the N-9N-9 isomerisomer relativerelative toto thethe correspondingcorresponding signals for the N-7N-7 isomer. By contrast,contrast, the C-5C-5 signal for the N-9N-9 derivatives is deshielded relative to that for the N-7N-7 isomerisomer duedue toto thethe largerlarger stericsteric congestioncongestion existingexisting inin thethe N-7N-7 isomer.isomer. The regiochemistryregiochemistry of of3 3and and4 was4 was supported supported by theby the larger larger chemical chemical shift shift values values of H-8 of ( δH8.41-8 (δ ppm), 8.41 C-1’ppm), (δ C69.8-1’ (δ ppm), 69.8 ppm), C-8 (δ C146.8-8 (δ 146.8 ppm), ppm) and, C-4and (Cδ-160.24 (δ 160.2 ppm) ppm) signals signals for for the theN-7 Nisomer-7 isomer4 (Figures4 (Figure1s and1 and2) as2) comparedas compared to theto the H-8 H ( -δ88.12 (δ 8.12 ppm), ppm), C-1’ C (δ-1’68.2 (δ 68.2 ppm), ppm), C-8 (Cδ-1448 (δ ppm), 144 ppm) and, C-4 and (δ C150.8-4 (δ ppm)150.8 signalsppm) signals for the forN-9 thealkylated N-9 alkylated derivatives derivatives3 (Figures 3 3(Figure and4).sThis 3 and regiochemistry 4). This regiochemistry was also supported was also bysupported the chemical by the shift chemical of the C-5shift signal of the (δ C133.6-5 signal ppm) (δ of 133.63, which ppm) was of shifted3, which downfield was shifted relative downfield to the C-5relative signal to (theδ 124.1 C-5 ppm)signal for (δ the124.1N-7 ppm)component for the N4 -(Figures7 component1 and2 4, Table(Figures1). The1 and High 2, Table Resolution 1). The Mass High Spectrometry data (HRMS) was consistent with the molecular composition of both 3 and 4. Molecules 2019, 24, x 3 of 18 Resolution Mass Spectrometry data (HRMS) was consistent with the molecular composition of both 3 and 4. Molecules 2019, 24, x 3 of 18 Molecules 2019, 24, 3235 3 of 16 Resolution Mass Spectrometry data (HRMS) was consistent with the molecular composition of both 3 and 4. Figure 1. 13C-NMR spectrum for ketone 4. 13 FigureFigure 1.1. 13CC-NMR-NMR spectrum spectrum for ketone for ketone 4. 4. Molecules 2019, 24, x 1 4 of 18 FigureFigure 2. 2.1H-NMRH-NMR spectrum spectrum for ketone for 4. ketone 4. Figure 2. 1H-NMR spectrum for ketone 4. 13 FigureFigure 3 3.. 13C-C-NMRNMR spectrum spectrum for ketone for 3 ketone. 3. Figure 4. 1H-NMR spectrum for ketone 3. Table 1. 1H- and 13C-NMR chemical shifts (ppm) for 3 and 4 ketones. N-9-ketone 3 N-7-ketone 4 H-8 8.12 8.41 C-1’ 68.2 69.8 C-4 150.8 160.2 C-5 133.6 124.1 C-8 144 146.8 The 2D HMBC spectra for 3 and 4 also supported the regiochemical assignments. Correlations between H-1’ and C-8 and C-4 signals were observed with the absence of any correlation with C-5 for Molecules 2019, 24, x 4 of 18 Figure 3.