Carbocyclic 7-Deazaguanosine Nucleosides as Antiviral Agents

Abstract

Nucleosides in which the ribofuranosyl oxygen is replaced by a methylene to result in a cyclopentane ring are referred to as carbocyclic nucleosides.1 The first such compound was carbocyclic adenosine (1, aristeromycin), which was synthesized in its racemic form2 prior to isolation of the (-)-enantiomer from Streptomyces citncolor.3 The antiviral activity of 14 has stimulated the search for other carbocyclic nucleosides that would display a more favorable therapeutic index.5