Synthesis of 2′,4′-BNACOC bearing a purine nucleobase

Recently, we have synthesized pyrimidine derivatives of 2',4'-BNA(COC) monomer, the sugar conformation of which was restricted in N-form by a seven-membered bridged structure. The oligonucleotides containing these monomers showed high affinity with complementary single-stranded RNA and significant resistance to nuclease degradation. For an application to antisense methodology, it is important to synthesize 2',4'-BNA(COC) monomers bearing a purine nucleobase. However, the formation of methyleneoxymethylene (COC) linkage in the purine derivatives failed under the acidic conditions used for the synthesis of 2',4'-BNA(COC) with pyrimidine nucleobases. After several examinations, we successfully achieved the synthesis of 2',4'-BNA(COC) monomers bearing a purine nucleobase via the formation of COC linkage using Pummerer-type reaction.