Synthesis of Optically Active N6-Alkyl Derivatives of (R)-3-(Adenin-9-yl)-2-hydroxypropanoic Acid and Related Compounds

Abstract

Reaction of ethyl (R)-oxiranecarboxylate (2a) with various nucleobases (adenine, 6-chloropurine, thymine, cytosine, N6-benzoyladenine, 4-methoxy-5-methylpyrimidin-2(1H)-one and 4-methoxypyrimidin-2(1H)-one) afforded ethyl 3-substituted-2-hydroxypropanoates 4-10. Enantioselectivity of this reaction is dependent on the type of the base: 6-chloropurine, N6-benzoyladenine, 4-methoxy-5-methylpyrimidin-2(1H)-one, thymine and cytosine gave optically pure R enantiomers. In other cases, partial or complete racemization occurred. Optically pure ethyl (R)-3-(6-chloropurin-9-yl)-2-hydroxypropanoate (5a) was hydrolyzed to give (R)-3-(6-chloropurin-9-yl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (11). Reactions of 11 with various primary or secondary amines led to N6-substituted (R)-3-(adenin-9-yl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acids 14-19. Enantiomeric purity was determined from 1H NMR spectra measured in the presence of (-)-(R)-1-(9-anthryl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethan-1-ol.