Syntheses of novel hydroxylamine carbanucleosides

Enantiomerically pure 4′-hydroxylamino-adenine-derived carbanucleosides have been synthesized as isosteric 4′-hydroxymethyl analogs to carbovir, ddA, and aristeromycin. The key steps in the syntheses involved an enzymatic desymmetrization, two subsequent Mitsunobu reactions, and a highly diastereoselective ruthenium tetroxide-mediated dihydroxylation, overcoming the syn-directing effect seen in osmium tetroxide-mediated dihydroxylations. Hydroxylamino-propane analogs were also synthesized through similar methodology to afford adenine and cyclopropylamino purine analogs to acyclovir.