Controlling Glycosyl Bond Conformation of Guanine Nucleosides: Stabilization of the anti Conformer in 5′-O-Ethylguanosine

Nucleosides that consist of base and sugar moieties can adopt two main conformations, syn and anti, about the glycosidic bond. We have investigated the conformational properties of guanine nucleosides in the gas phase by using laser desorption combined with IR–UV double resonance spectroscopy. In guanosine, syn conformation is preferred as a result of internal hydrogen bonding between the 5′-OH group of the sugar and the N3 site of the guanine moiety. We have therefore employed a chemically modified nucleoside 5′-O-ethylguanosine, in which possible glycosyl bond conformations are restricted upon ethylation of the 5′-OH group. The result shows that anti conformer is stabilized by the formation of hydrogen bonding involving the 2′-OH group.