Asymmetric Hydrogenation of α-Purine Nucleobase-Substituted Acrylates with Rhodium Diphosphine Complexes: Access to Tenofovir Analogues.

The first asymmetric hydrogenation of α-purine nucleobase-substituted α,β-unsaturated esters, catalyzed by a chiral rhodium (R)-Synphos catalyst, has been developed. A wide range of mono- and disubstituted acrylates were successfully hydrogenated under very mild conditions in high yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). This method provides a convenient approach to the synthesis of a new kind of optically pure acyclic nucleoside and Tenofovir analogues.

A rapid and divergent access to chiral azacyclic nucleoside analogues via highly enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of β-nucleobase substituted acrylates.

A rapid and divergent access to chiral azacyclic nucleoside analogues has been established via highly exo-selective and enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with β-nucleobase substituted acrylates. Using 1 mol% of a chiral copper complex, various chiral azacyclic nucleoside analogues were obtained in high yields, excellent exo-selectivities and enantioselectivities (98 to >99% ee).