Triphenylphosphine-free approach for one-pot N-alkylation of purine, pyrimidine, and azole derivatives with alcohols using P2O5/KI: A facile and selective route to access carboacyclic nucleosides

Abstract

A facile, selective, and mild synthetic approach for one-pot N-alkylation of nucleobases and other related N-heterocycles via alcohols, using a mixture of P2O5 and KI is described. The reaction of structurally diverse purines, pyrimidines, and/or azoles with primary alcohols with the use of P2O5/KI and basic mixture of Et3N/K2CO3 in refluxing DMF affords the corresponding N-alkyl derivatives (carboacyclic nucleosides) in good to reasonable yields. The influence of different parameters comprising solvent, base, temperature, and substrate/reagent ratios was assessed on the reaction progress. The secondary and tertiary alcohols were failed to react with nucleobases. The main advantageous of current protocol is formation of water soluble side products in which provides simple work-up and purification processes.