Short synthesis of octosyl nucleosides.

[reaction: see text] Commercial 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-alpha-d-allofuranose was converted to a protected bicyclic octosyl acid thioglycoside donor by a 10-step sequence that features an intramolecular ester enolate alkylation. Glycosylation of N-benzoyladenine and methyl uridine-5-carboxylate followed by deprotection gave the respective nucleosides "octosyl adenine" and octosyl acid A.