Design and Synthesis of Novel Non-nucleoside Anti-HCMV Agents

Abstract

Bicyclic furanopyrimidines are potent and selective inhibitors of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) (McGuigan et al., 1999). SAR studies have shown 2′,3′-dideoxynucleoside derivatives to be poorly VZV-active but exhibit activity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) (McGuigan et al., 2004). Phosphorylation was shown not to be a requisite for activity presenting the possibility to introduce non-sugar moieties. Many long chain N- and O-alkylated derivatives have been presented, some showing comparable activity to ganciclovir (GCV) supporting a non-nucleoside meachanism of action (Kelleher et al., 2005 and Adak et al., 2007). The target structures were prepared by the Pd-catalysed coupling of various alkynes with 5-iodouracil (Scheme 1), to give intermediate 5-alkynyl nucleosides which were subsequently cyclised in the presence of CuI to give the bicyclic systems. The corresponding bases were then reacted with a selection of alkylating agents to form N- and O-alkylated products. The synthesis, biological evaluation and cytotoxicity of novel long chain N- and O-alkylated derivatives will be presented.