Synthesis and antiviral activity of novel C-methyl branched cyclopropyl nucleosides.

A series of novel cyclopropyl nucleosides was synthesized using the highly stereoselective Simmons-Smith reaction starting from 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-mannitol. The structural assignments of these nucleosides were determined by NMR studies and X-ray crystallography. All the synthesized nucleosides were assayed against several viruses.