Pyrimidine nucleoside compounds and oligonucleoside compounds containing

Abstract

Novel 2- and 4-substituted pyrimidine nucleosides and oligonucleosides are provided, as are methods and intermediates useful in preparing same. In preferred embodiments, one of the 2- and 4-substituents is .dbd.O, .dbd.NH, or .dbd.NH.sub.2.sup.+ and the other is Q, .dbd.C (R.sub.A)--Q, C(R.sub.A)(R.sub.B)--C(R.sub.C)(R.sub.D)--Q, C (R.sub.A).dbd.C(R.sub.C)--Q or C.tbd.C--Q, where R.sub.A, R.sub.B, R.sub.C and R.sub.D independently are H, SH, OH, NH.sub.2, or C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl, or one of (R.sub.A)(R.sub.B) or (R.sub.C)(R.sub.D) is .dbd.O, and Q is halogen, hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkylamine, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl-N-phthalimide, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkylimidazole, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkylbis-imidazole, imidazole, bis-imidazole, amine, N-phthalimide, C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkynyl, hydroxyl, thiol, keto, carboxyl, nitrates, nitro, nitroso, nitrile, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, O-alkyl, S-alkyl, NH-alkyl, N-dialkyl, O-aralkyl, S-aralkyl, NH-aralkyl, azido, hydrazino, hydroxylamino, isocyanato, sulfoxide, sulfone, sulfide, disulfide, silyl, O-(hydroxyl protecting group), a leaving group, a heterocycle, an intercalator, a reporter molecule, a conjugate, a polyamine, a polyamide, a polyethylene glycol, a polyether, or a depurination enhancing group.