Synthesis of 2-Deoxy-β-D-ribonucleosides and 2,3-Dideoxy-β-D-pentofuranosides on Immobilized Bacterial Cells

Abstract

Alginate gel-entrapped cells of auxotrophic thymine-dependent strain of E. coli catalyze the transfer of 2-deoxy-D-ribofuranosyl moiety of 2'-deoxyuridine to purine and pyrimidine bases as well as their aza and deaza analogs. All experiments invariably gave β-anomers; in most cases, the reaction was regiospecific, affording N9-isomers in the purine and N1-isomers in the pyrimidine series. Also a 2,3-dideoxynucleoside can serve as donor of the glycosyl moiety. The acceptor activity of purine bases depends only little on substitution, the only condition being the presence of N7-nitrogen atom. On the other hand, in the pyrimidine series the activity is limited to only a narrow choice of mostly short 5-alkyl and 5-halogeno uracil derivatives. Heterocyclic bases containing amino groups are deaminated; this can be avoided by conversion of the base to the corresponding N-dimethylaminomethylene derivative which is then ammonolyzed. The method was verified by isolation of 9-(2-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl) derivatives of adenine, guanine, 2-chloroadenine, 6-methylpurine, 8-azaadenine, 8-azaguanine, 1-deazaadenine, 3-deazaadenine, 1-(2-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl) derivatives of 5-ethyluracil, 5-fluorouracil, and 9-(2,3-dideoxy-β-D-pentofuranosyl)hypoxanthine, 9-(2,3-dideoxy-β-D-pentofuranosyl)-6-methylpurine, and other nucleosides.