An astute synthesis of locked nucleic acid monomers

Novel attributes of Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) makes it preferable over most of the other classes of modified nucleic acid analogues and therefore, it has been extensively explored in different synthetic oligonucleotide based therapeutics. In addition to five oligonucleotides of this class undergoing clinical trials, a healthy pipeline in pre-clinical studies validates the tenacity of LNA. Due to the increasing demand, an efficient biocatalytic methodology has recently been devised for the convergent synthesis of LNA monomers via selective enzymatic monoacetylation of diastereotopic hydroxymethyl functions of 3-O-benzyl-4-C-hydroxymethyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-D-ribofuranose. This commentary article provides an insight into the different synthetic strategies followed for the synthesis of LNA monomers and their triumphs in clinical biotechnology.