5-Arylethynyl-2'-deoxyuridines, compounds active against HSV-1.

Three new 5-arylethynyl-2'-deoxyuridines containing bulky aryls have been prepared and tested against HSV-1 in Vero cells. The introduction of a substituent in the phenyl group of an inactive compound, 5-phenylethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, leads to the appearance of anti-HSV properties. The most active compounds are those containing a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon residue attached to the 5 position of 2'-deoxyuridine through a rigid triple bond.

Perylene attached to DNA through stiff or flexible linker: duplex stability and FRET.

Two fluorescent nucleosides, 5-(perylen-3-ylethynyl)-2'-deoxyuridine and 5-[(perylen-3-yl)methoxypropyn-1-yl]-2'-deoxyuridine, were incorporated into synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides and spectral properties of the conjugates and their duplexes were studied.