An efficient synthesis of 3-fluoro-5-thio-xylofuranosyl nucleosides of thymine, uracil, and 5-fluorouracil as potential antitumor or/and antiviral agents

We report the synthesis of three novel fluoro-thiofuranosyl nucleosides. These novel synthesized molecules have a promising potential as antitumor and anti-rotavirus agents. 1,2:5,6-Di- O-isopropylidene-α- d-glucofuranose by the sequence of mild oxidation, reduction, fluorination, periodate oxidation, borohydride reduction, and sulfonylation gave 3-deoxy-3-fluoro-1,2- O-isopropylidene-5- O- p-toluenesulfonyl-α- d-xylofuranose ( 5). Tosylate 5 was converted to thioacetate derivative 6, which after acetolysis gave 1,2-di- O-acetyl-5- S-acetyl-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-5-thio- d-xylofuranose ( 7). Condensation of 7 with silylated thymine, uracil, and 5-fluorouracil afforded nucleosides 1-(5- S-acetyl-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-5-thio-β- d-xylofuranosyl) thymine ( 8), 1-(5- S-acetyl-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-5-thio-β- d-xylofuranosyl) uracil ( 9), and 1-(5- S-acetyl-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-5-thio-β- d-xylofuranosyl) 5-fluorouracil ( 10). Compounds 8, 9, and 10 are biologically active against rotavirus infection and the growth of tumor cells.